


Beyond The Mist

by BunIsBun, Sleepyboo



Category: Dead by Daylight (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Escaped AU, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mild Blood, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-17
Updated: 2016-11-25
Packaged: 2018-08-15 13:39:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 24,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8058466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BunIsBun/pseuds/BunIsBun, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sleepyboo/pseuds/Sleepyboo
Summary: The survivors manage to escape the Entity's realm by the skin of their teeth. Adjusting back into living their lives like before the ordeal is easier said than done.





	1. Normalcy

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, BunIsBun here! I mentioned I was working on a fanfic, and here it is! ...on my gf's account, haha! (Since I'm too impatient to wait on my own account being accepted)  
> It's a little thing we've been writing together, so just know that two people wrote this!  
> Its highly unlikely it will ever be 'finished' as the whole basis of this au can just keep on going and going with lots of shenanigans! Hope you enjoy the short little starter chapter!!!

The jumble of activity from the city outside was odd to get used to again. The white noise was welcome in keeping the total silence at bay, and yet, it was still entirely too quiet.

 

After escaping the entity's clutches in it's twisted woods for... well, however long it was, it was safe to say Dwight was more than a little traumatized. He sat in his apartment, alone, fiddling with new locks for anything he get his hands on. Trying to find ways to feel safe in his own home.

Nothing seemed to be quite enough. Every little creak in the hallway made him remember a heavy-set entity, and the thought of it somehow finding it's way into his room. Every set of footsteps trailing by made him think of the solid pounding of the Trapper's boots on blood-stained wooden floors. Each raised voice or squeal from a child was a struggle for Dwight not to jump out of his skin. Constantly thinking he'd find the ghostly Nurse materializing right in front of him. Cars starting made him think of the generators chugging to life, drawing the attention of the killers, or of that awful chainsaw revving up. Every chime of the hour set his hair on end, expecting an uncloaking Wraith to be breathing down his neck. He'd since silenced all the clocks in his home because of it. In some ways the fire was comforting, with it's heat and warm glow, but the crackling sometimes reminded him too much of the sound of the entity slowly forming over a hook, preparing to impale him.

 

Being alone was probably poison in his veins right now, yet Dwight was finding it hard to pry himself from his house. He could hardly even bring himself to look for a new job given his past experience. Not wanting to be evicted again and have to find another apartment, Dwight forced himself.

Clinging to the excuse of the weather being too shitty to go door-to-door for a job application, Dwight stuck to looking online. It had been stormy and cold ever since he made it back home, the rain so cold it could cut his skin on impact. He found it was easier to stay inside by his tiny fireplace, huddled up in blankets to keep warm. The safety net of his excuses hardly lasted long on Meg's patience, however. She was always quick to see through his white lies and stubbornness. She kept offering for him to tag along on her adventures with Claudette, but he avoided it every chance he could. He didn't want to bum them out or drag them down if he couldn’t keep up. Given the chance to finally relax, Dwight didn’t feel like running around anymore.

It was painfully obvious to them as to why he was as gloomy as the weather. They promised they'd find who he was looking for, but Dwight always felt the promise was empty. They weren't taking any steps to even get started. He couldn't be mad though; they hardly had any leads as it was. Jake had never shared much about himself. They didn't even know his last name, much less where he lived for that matter. Only a very vague idea, not that they ever expected much detail out of him.

 

  
Dwight sighed heavily and combed a hand through his hair, staring blankly at the ceiling. They may have escaped the entity but... he still felt lost. It was like he could physically feel Jake's absence from their rag-tag little family.  
He rolled over and picked up his phone from the edge of the bedside table, staring at the screen while he debated calling Meg and Claudette, or maybe even Nea. They would comfort him endlessly. That's what he really needed right now.

But he hesitated, gripping the device harder, almost glaring at the girls' pictures in his contacts list for a moment. Despite having a good support system, he felt he needed the unsupportive side too. Or at least, less exuberant supportive side. He still felt awful for how heavily he had relied on Jake back then. Jake may not have been as verbally supportive, but he was always there. Dwight just wanted to try and repay the favor. At least buy him food or something, just to make sure he was ok. None of them knew what happened to him since they'd escaped. Jake hadn't been with them when they all got spit back out into the waking world.

 

Dwight chewed on his lip, biting back at the fact he missed Jake terribly. Jake had once mentioned something about living off the grid in the forest, right? Dwight turned off the screen on his phone before pocketing it, prying himself from the bed and heading out of his room.

It was hardly enough to really go off of, but he couldn't keep doing this. He couldn't just plant roots in his house and wallow over missing Jake. He had to do _something_. If he could just find Jake, being around him would certainly put this paranoia at ease. At least, it usually did when they were together.

 

Dwight was slow in turning off the lights in his apartment, taking the hesitation time to think through what he was about to do. This could end badly if he went in so blindly and nervous. But if he was slow... and careful, maybe that would be enough? He could probably use his car keys like some sort of small weapon, or at least spook anything with the alarm, which was more than he ever had before. He stopped at the closet while he kicked on his shoes, debating whether to bring a flashlight or not. Getting lost in the dark was... less than ideal, but the thought of the bright light drawing attention to himself was even less appealing. The memory of shaking hands pointing the light in the eyes of a furious killer was enough to make him shiver. Even if this flashlight was fully functional unlike the dirty half beaten ones he found out there, he didn’t trust it at all and decided against it.

Dwight shook his head, and made his way outside, pushing up his glasses after locking the door. It felt like crossing a mountain just to get in the car and start it. Both in a twinge of fear at the noise, and the internal fighting with whether or not to back out and just go for the original plan of calling one of the girls. He gripped the steering wheel and key till it started to hurt, then took a shaky, but deep breath and turned the key. He held onto the wheel tightly as his car sputtered to life, before settling into a tired purr. He used to be so confident in driving, now he felt like he was just learning how all over again.

The city was grey from gloomy storm clouds rolling in. It was easy to fall into a daze of following the flow of traffic; easy to latch onto it and hide away from all the 'what ifs' of how many ways this could go wrong. It used to be his escape. The entity seemed to have stolen every piece of mind that he used to have. Everything felt hostile. He was sure his knuckles were white from holding the steering wheel so harshly.

 

Emotions began to resurface when the traffic thinned out to nothing, and when the road transitioned from pavement to dirt. He had to slow down and focus on breathing, and keep his eyes on the road. He was afraid if he looked into the swath of trees he'd see eyes glaring back at him.

 

Dwight wasn't sure how he could still recognize the spot where his former boss had brought him and his coworkers to, but he did. At least something was familiar, even if it wasn't exactly in a good way. How could he forget how happy he was that day, he wanted to take everything in as he was finally fitting in somewhere. He pulled off to the side of the road a bit passed it, and turned his car off. A knot slowly formed in his stomach as he clenched a hand in his shirt. He fidgeted with the fabric, glaring at the door handle. Boy, these were bad, bad memories. He could vividly remember his boss calling his outing a 'team-building exercise', and all his coworkers being unsettlingly friendlier than ever. _What a joke._ He should have known better.

 

Dwight glanced back to the dashboard, then out the window into the gloomy forest. He could still back out now. He could still just turn around and head back home and pretend he hadn't even thought about doing this. But he knew it would eat away at him. He knew he'd tear himself apart for bailing, for not even trying. He knew Meg would certainly notice and pry it out of him.

Dwight took a deep breath, and headed in. After all, even if he didn’t find Jake and something else found him instead… well… maybe that’s the way it was supposed to be.

 

  
_There's no murderers here. It's ok. Just keep walking._

_For Jake._

_Do it for Jake._

 

  
He tried to reassure himself and keep positive as he carefully picked his way into the brush of the forest.


	2. Kindling

As it got late, and the forest around Dwight grew darker, the realization that he wouldn't even know how to get back to his car sunk in. He could feel his whole body shaking anxiously as he stood there, frantically trying to get his bearings. Everything looked so much different in the dark.

He stared out into the gloom of the woods, trying to find a landmark, a path, something— _anything_ —to point him in some direction.

 

This was bad. It was already bad enough that he had the creeping feeling he was being followed, but he swallowed the fear and continued to look.

 

Dwight ran a hand over the keys in his pocket, thumbing over them, debating if he should resort to 'plan b' already. But what if he was too far and deep into the forest to hear it? He fidgeted with his tie, biting his lip as he tried to push down the panic rising in his chest.

It was only when he felt the staring on his back, boring harshly into his shoulders, and heard the quiet scrape of tree-bark did he whip around to see who was there. Part of him was relieved it wasn't just his paranoia kicking into overdrive, but part of him swallowed hard at the confirmation that he _wasn't_ alone. His mouth felt dry.

 

"Jake..?" He peeped hopefully, almost afraid his words would unravel this all into some twisted version of the reoccurring nightmares. It wouldn't be the first time it happened. Dwight squinted a little, but there was no mistaking that dark, fluffy hair.

He watched the other take a sharp breath, and hold it, staring quietly back at him. He seemed just as surprised as Dwight felt to have actually ran into someone else out here. Then, he sighed heavily, lifting a gloved hand to rub at the bridge of his nose.

 

"What the hell are _you_ doing out here?"

 

Dwight could practically feel the relief burst from his chest. Just the sound of Jake's voice eased him from nervously messing with his tie.

"I... I came to find you, of course!" He walked up to him, not expecting a hug or anything really, he just wanted to be closer. It didn't feel real. He missed that dark, brooding glare. "I-..I missed you." He mumbled, figuring he had to be honest if they were going to get anywhere.

Dwight watched Jake's glare, or squint as it more likely was, soften now that they were closer. He huffed, and rolled his head to the side in what Dwight assumed was irritation. It made his heart thump in his chest. Gosh, it was so intimidating, but in a welcoming way. He was on the verge of tears he was so happy he'd found him. Even if it was maybe more that Jake had found him.

 

"Didn't I specifically say _not_ to come looking for me?" Jake hissed, leaning away slightly, "Did you forget what happened last time you got lost out here?"

 

And just like that, the feeling drained away. He refused to break eye contact with Jake though, even if his lip quivered nervously. "Well... I found you... the last time I was uh, out here." Dwight's face flashed red as he realized how much of a reach that was.

 

Jake shifted to lean against the tree he'd previously been peeking out from, folding his arms with a frustrated sigh, "Yeah?" His glare partially cracked into something more amused, "Well, congratulations. You did it. Ya found me. _Now what?_ "

Dwight broke his stare with Jake, that bemused smile breaking his composure.

 

_Shit, he always looks so cynical._

 

This was not how he had expected this to go at all. Granted, he wasn't really sure how it would have gone, but he hadn't expected for this to start with such hostility.

 

He looked back up as Jake straightened away from the tree and continued, "What were you thinking? Did you even have a plan? It's dangerous out here." Something about it sounded more like it was spurred on by the silence, than actually meant to be accusing and cold.

 

"Yeah, well-..!" Dwight bit his lip, hesitating for a moment in the short silence as he struggled to maintain contact with that dark glare. He took a breath, then bit back, "What are YOU doing out here then? If it's just that dangerous?"

Which it was. They all knew that. Jake of all people wouldn't just blatantly be out here like he was. That's not how he was. At least... that's not how he was when they'd been stuck in the entity's realm. Dwight stood by his words, even if it was a bit hypocritical. He was blatantly out here himself; he didn't exactly have an excuse either. He'd come out here to look for Jake as it was, though he _had_ , at least, taken a much different path than his former boss and coworkers had.

 

Jake had quickly fallen silent. If Dwight hadn't been determined to hold his gaze—even if it was wobbly—he would have missed the falter in his glare. It recovered, but Jake couldn't hold Dwight's stare, turning to look at the dirt between the two of them.

"I _live_ here." He hissed, marginally more quiet than before, and Dwight could clearly hear a twinge of unease in his voice.

 

"Wh-.. HERE!?" Dwight blurted out before he had stopped to think, "I-.. I mean, I know you said you lived in the woods, but... I didn't think you meant THIS close!" The hint of panic in his voice was unmistakable, and he wasn't sure if it was what was making Jake fidget where he stood.

Jake still refused to look back up at him, crossing his arms and raising his shoulders defensively, but he remained silent. Dwight pressed more, leaning a bit closer in an attempt to get his fluffy-haired friend to look at him,

"Jake..."

 

"I don't know what else to do..!" Jake snapped back, but was still awfully quiet. His shoulders were visibly tense. "Its all I have... I don't-.. I can't go back..."

 

Dwight wanted to ask where, but he was so caught up in the fact that Jake was possibly still in danger by living out here. He could barely stop himself from devolving into a worried mess.

"B-but-.. Jake..! Anything's better than.. than being this close to-.. to the fog...!"

Dwight's protests trailed off. He could tell his words were falling on deaf ears. Jake didn't want to--or couldn't--hear it right now. He knew he shouldn't press him when he got like this. Dwight nervously wrung his hands, trying to figure out what to say or do. The silence only served to create a tense air between them.

 

"Why are you really out here?"

 

Dwight looked up from his hands, surprised Jake hadn't shut down and shut him out. Something he had witnessed before when Meg's teasing went too far. He still had his eyes trained on the ground though.

Dwight quietly took a deep breath, "I told you... I came to look for you. I wanted to hang out, after... the whole ordeal... i-if you'd be okay with it, I think it would help to just... hang out with you for awhile." He crossed his arms defensively, growing quieter the longer Jake silently watched him fumble to explain, "I thought maybe if I could prove myself, that you'd give me a chance..."

A chance at what entirely, Dwight wasn't too sure of. Jake had to be affected by everything that happened too. He had to be suffering just like he was.

 

"...at this time of night?" Jake returned to leaning against the tree and rubbed at his eyes, sighing quietly, "I really... don't... think hanging out with me is gonna help anyone..."

 

Dwight held back the urge to jump all over Jake for that. He'd done it before and it got him nowhere. "It would help me," He said with a grain more confidence, "I promise I won't stop you from living out here and whatever else. I just... wanna be with you."

Dwight looked around quickly, all too suddenly reminded they were in the midst of darkening woods. He bit his lip, wanting to push things along and get them inside or at least out of the trees, but he'd be stubborn for Jake. He started to fidget, the air between them growing thicker with tension the longer Jake hesitated to answer. It still didn't feel real. He still expected something to leap out at them from the dark and wake him up. For this to turn out to all be a dream where he actually got the guts to do this. But the air kept still between them.

  
Jake finally sighed quietly, as if he'd been holding his breath. He pushed away from the tree to rock back on his heels a little and stare at the dirt between them once again.

"Fine."

He sounded awfully tired, it almost made him sound defeated. "Alright. Just... don't expect much." He unfolded his arms and turned around to start heading into the brush. He hardly needed to stop to wait for Dwight who was quickly right behind him, beaming like an idiot.

"You won't regret this, I'll be as helpful as I can and do anything you ask."

 

His fluff-haired friend only grumbled in response. Dwight tailed behind Jake like a lost puppy, keeping as close to him as possible without tripping him. He kind of hoped he'd finally get somewhere with Jake this time. He still had those strong feelings for him, and hopefully maybe now that they weren't in peril, he might believe it. He tried to remind himself of what Claudette had told him.

 

_'I don't think he's used to socializing all that much... much less getting confessed to! Just be patient.'_

 

His heart pounded nervously in his chest at the thought of being alone with him. Part of him still strong believed Jake would kill him if given the chance. He... had done some pretty stupid things back when they were being chased. He wouldn't blame Jake if he still held hard feelings.

 

* * *

 

 

It felt like the more they walked, the faster the dark chased after them. He could easily see that Jake was just as tense. He tried to ignore the feeling, chalking it up to lingering paranoia, but he couldn't deny the uneasy feeling in his gut in knowing what sort of hungering monster was out there... somewhere. Especially now that he knew Jake resided in the same woods as it did.

They trudged through the brush in silence for a while, seeming to follow a path that Dwight couldn't really see. He wanted to say something, anything to keep what felt like a layer of ice forming between them. But nothing made it past his lips. He fought with himself over it up until Jake suddenly stopped. He then turned off the path they was following to pick his way up a muddy slope. Dwight scrambled to follow, trying to keep his footing despite the slippery mud.

 

The undergrowth ended rather suddenly, transitioning straight to the edge of the road. It was significantly brighter without the cover of trees. While Jake squinted up at the cloudy sky, Dwight peeked out around him to see the road. He swallowed hard, spotting his car parked only a couple feet away.

 

Dwight's heart sunk.

Was he really just bringing him back to the road? Was he going to tell him to go home? He felt sick for even trying to get closer to Jake.

"I-I didn't know you lived close to the road." He attempted to keep things on track, desperately not wanting to be left alone. He kind of hoped Jake wouldn't think the car was his, but honestly who else would it belong to? No one ever just parked all the way out here for no reason.

 

"Kinda?" Jake brushed off his jacket, "Not... really, but this way we don't gotta go through the brush." He shrugged, turning on his heel to start down the road a few feet, but paused to glance back to the car and to Dwight, "You alright with leaving that here?"

 

Dwight's eyes lit back up when he realized Jake wasn't just leaving him, "Oh- yeah, sure! It's fine! Locked up tight and all." He walked over to catch up, and gave him a soft smile. It was nice to know Jake cared. "Thanks, though..."

 

Jake gave a wobbly, hesitant smirk back, but just as quickly as he had, he trained his eyes back on the road in front of them. "No problem..." He sighed quietly as they continued to walk, ruffling his hair to get it out of his face. Dwight kept as close to Jake as possible again; that small smirk had his head spinning.

It had gotten awfully quiet as it had gotten late. Not just between them, but with all the wildlife settling down to sleep. The only thing to listen to was the crunching of the dirt and gravel under their shoes.

The darker it got, Dwight resorted back to gripping Jake's sleeve just like he did when they'd been in the entity's realm back then. He didn't want to be separated from him again, and this darkness felt like he could be snatched up at any moment. Jake either didn't mind him holding onto his sleeve, or was too focused on the road in front of him to notice. Dwight hoped it was the former option. He was pretty sure he saw Jake's shoulders relax somewhat after he'd grabbed his sleeve, so just maybe..? If not, at least he wasn't as tense as before.

 

Dwight was again pulled from his thoughts as Jake stopped abruptly to stare into the dark of the forest for a moment. Looking for something Dwight couldn't really make out. Nothing was immediately obvious. He figured it was probably because Jake lived out here; he probably knew the area like the back of his hand.

"This way." Jake mumbled quietly, as if too nervous to speak up in case something was out there, listening. It was hardly noticeable that there was a path there till he followed Jake into the brush once more.

Dwight nodded even if Jake wasn't looking to see it. He let him lead the way, hoping they'd get there soon. He felt he would have a panic attack soon if a leaf so much as fell on his shoulder. The plus was being so close to Jake.

He could tell that he probably showered the day they got back. That warm smell he had was back and Dwight was just close enough to him that he caught it. He wanted to nestle himself into his jacket and hide away. Jake wasn't always super friendly, and wouldn't say much when there was more than one other person around, but his presence had always been comforting.

Being too lost in thought to pay attention to where his feet were, Dwight was ripped back to reality when he stumbled, tripping right into Jake's back. He immediately let go of the fabric of his sleeve and scrambled to regain his footing, backing up as Jake slipped forwards slightly from the impact. Jake quickly had glanced back at him, but Dwight couldn't see if Jake was annoyed or anything. "S-sorry..." He mumbled, completely embarrassed.

Dwight's face heated up more when he heard a small chuckle bubble up from Jake, and looked up to see him trying to smile at him. It was awfully rusty though.

"It's fine... you okay?"

 

"Yeah! Just... lost in thought." Dwight's lip quivered, glancing at the ground, "Are we almost there..?" His mouth felt dry; he was starting to get all worked up again, and over something so stupid too. Jake probably thought he was a big baby. "Being out in these woods is just.. bringing stuff back, ya know..?" He looked back up to offer a wobbly smile, trying his hardest to seem alright.

 

"Uh... yeah." Jake glanced back ahead of them into the dark, "Yeah, actually its just ahead, c'mon." He continued through the brush with Dwight right on his heels for another minute or so, till he stopped to hold back the brush that had hid the rest of the path to his trailer. Dwight could just barely spy the glint of a generator tucked against the side of the it. He hesitantly glanced back at Jake, who just motioned with a nod for him to go through while he had the brush pushed aside.

 

Dwight took a small breath and gave a matching nod, carefully picking his way past the brush. His eyes were adjusted enough to the dark to make out the trailer, though that was a feat in itself. Years of being in the woods camouflaged it with grime. Or it had just been in a storm that kicked up a lot of mud, it was hard to really tell. He wasn't sure if it had always been like this, or if nature had been trying to reclaim it while they'd all been lost in the woods.

The generator that sat snug against the trailer made him sick just thinking about it. He had learned more than he ever wanted to about those stupid things. Part of him would say that it could probably land him a job. Another part would say he never wanted to touch one ever again. Hell, he probably would be pretty fast at generator repair now, but the damage on his psyche would be too much.

"Nice place." Dwight offered quietly as he took in the clearing around the trailer. He even had a fire pit, though it looked just as soaked as the rest of the forest. At a glance, it really just looked like he was camping out here.

 

Jake laughed, a hint of bitterness to it, but it trailed away as fast as the laugh had came. "You don't have to pretend. It's gross, I know."

Dwight followed Jake's gaze as it trailed to the generator, to the vines sprawling and twisting up over the trailer on the side of it, and at all of the grime. That dark glare was back, but it wasn't directed at him anymore. Jake waved a hand for him to keep following as he strode over to the door to unlock it. There wasn't really a reason to lock anything out here, but Dwight assumed it was probably better to be safe than sorry. It was a good habit to keep either way.

 

Jake swung the door open, the handle making a clunking sound that made Dwight wonder just how old the trailer was, or if it had just been in harsh weather for too long. Jake smacked his boots against the steps to shake off the majority of the mud and dirt, before he headed into the trailer. Dwight followed suit, stomping the mud off his shoes the same way Jake had and made his way inside. It was as dark inside as it was outside, but he could tell it was in good condition.

"Wow." Dwight smiled as his eyes adjusted, "You're civilized after all." He joked softly, giving Jake's arm a gentle nudge once he'd turned back from closing the door.

 

"Don't say that," Jake snickered, kicking off his boots, "You'll make me lose my status as the grungy hobo living in the woods." A joke that Meg had started the moment their fluffy-haired friend had refused to share more about himself.

Dwight chuckled a little and sat down in a chair that wasn't cluttered. "I don't think you're that bad." He paused, waiting to see if Jake was going to turn on the lights. When he didn't reach for the switch, he realized maybe he didn't want to. The dark was fine, as long as he wasn't alone.He smiled, trying to judge Jake's expressions, but it was hard with him staring down at his boots. "I actually... think you're really amazing." Dwight took a deep breath, bracing himself. At least he could hide in the darkness. "Living like this." Dwight blurted. He cringed at his own words.

 

_Coward, should've just left it._

 

Jake was quiet as he kept his eyes trained on his boots next to the door, slowly tugging off his gloves. The longer he was quiet, the longer Dwight was sure the pause between his sentences was painfully obvious. Jake glanced up and over at him through the dark for a second before he gave an airy breath of a laugh, turning back to stare down at his gloves as he slowly folded them, "Like what? Simple?"

Dwight either took too long to decide on what to say, or Jake was eager to change the subject, as he quickly added, "Do you, uh... want the lights on? I'll have to go back out and start the generator... if you do, is all." He loosely motioned to the door with a shrug.

 

Dwight shook his head. It took him a moment to realize he should answer instead of gesturing in the dark. "N-No that's ok! I'm sure you'd rather not... mess with it right now." He chuckled softly, understanding if he had any lingering trauma like he did, "Besides, we don't really need the lights, right?"

He mostly just didn't want to hear the chug of the generator; it made him feel anxious just thinking about it. "Uhm, I didn't mean to intrude like this, wandering around in the woods took up a lot of time..." He tried to explain, jumping topics a bit.

 

It wasn't very visible in the dark of the trailer, but Dwight was sure he caught the small little smile from him. "Nah, it's fine." Jake assured, stuffing his gloves into the pocket on his jacket, "Wasn't doing anything productive anyways."

Dwight heard the rustle of Jake prying off his jacket, and his little rabbit heart jumped. It made him feel silly. The smallest things could make him nervous when it came to Jake. He watched him toss it over the back of the couch, then lock his fingers together to stretch out his arms. The pops from his knuckles and joints sounded far louder than normal from the quiet.

 

The silence ate on for a moment. He waited till Jake trudged over to flop down on the couch to answer him.

 

"That's fine. All I did was buy new locks since I've been back. I'm still really... shaken, ya know." Dwight closed his eyes and leaned back in the chair, stretching his legs as much as he could."I wanted to feel safe again." He smiled in the dark, "Don't bully me about this but... being with you... I feel pretty safe."

When silence followed, Dwight started a little, "S-sorry... was that too much? I hardly knew how to talk to you before, and now I'm just pouring my heart out. Jeeze, I'm sorry. Just shut me up whenever." He rambled on. He remembered how clear his last 'friends' were about him being annoying.

 

Jake chuckled lightly, "Who, me? In this gloomy little trailer?" He paused for a moment, seeming to decide on changing topics again, "What about Meg and Claudette? Or Nea?" He quietly asked, leaning on an arm and rubbing at his eyes tiredly.

 

Dwight gave a half-hearted smile, he was pretty sure he knew where Jake was going with this. "I think they moved in together since we got back. Turns out they lived quite a bit closer than they thought. They're good company and all, certainly reassuring..." He bit his lip and looked elsewhere in the darkness as Jake sighed softly. How would he word this without sounding stupid?

"I didn't want that kind of comfort." He turned back to look at Jake and smirked, "I needed your grumpy hobo wall to lean on. You were always there ya know, even if it was glaring and a little mean." It was hard to tell if Jake was just tired, or if calling him those things actually hit a nerve.

Dwight got up from his seat to move to the couch and sit a little closer to Jake, deciding to change the subject on the chance he _had_ hit a nerve, "But, anyway, what have you been up too since we got back? Besides wandering around the woods looking for trouble."

 

Jake looked up from leaning on his arm, staring into the dark at Dwight, almost seeming bewildered by his words. He quickly looked away, sitting up from his awkward lounging to hunch over and rest his arms on his knees. Jake shrugged, laughing sheepishly, "Hah... nothing much, really. I guess I cleaned a bit?" He mumbled, as if he wasn't even sure he had."I kept checking to make sure everything was still here and working." He paused to scratch at his hair, "I tried to sleep but that was a joke... so I went for a walk and... uh, bumped into you."

Jake propped himself up to rest against his hand, laughing quietly again, "I guess I WAS looking for trouble. Just, ya know... to see if... the forest had changed at all..."

 

While he still felt it hadn't been the smartest thing to do, Dwight understood now why he went wandering out into the woods. It was still his home after all. If it had been near his own apartment in the city, Dwight was sure that he wouldn't even be able to stay put in his home.

He went with a bold move and put his hand on Jake's arm. "Well, maybe we'll sleep a little better now that were not alone." Jake peeked up at him, and Dwight bit his tongue, trying to keep it from seeming like... something else. He knew he'd probably just get the couch, and that was fine with him. He had to draw away from Jake as the rest of his thoughts wandered, "You can always come crash at my apartment if you want. It's got a pretty good view and I'll cook." He rambled on, shying away.

 

"Mmm..." Jake hummed in response, shrugging, as he sunk back into the couch. "Yeah, maybe."

It was hard to tell which thing he was referring to. Dwight assumed the former. He doubted he'd willingly go to the city with him; Jake seemed so attached to the forest despite what lurked out there somewhere. He kind of had to give him props for having the will to stay, but then again, it _had_ seemed more like Jake only was because he didn't have anywhere else to go.

Dwight fidgeted for a moment, unsure on what to do. It felt like the longer the air was silent between them, the thicker the darkness grew. Maybe it was just the lingering paranoia. It seemed like Jake was trying to retreat down into the cushions of the couch, trying to hide in the dark.

"Jake..." Dwight took a breath, "I don't want to get here and have you regret letting me in or anything but... now that were home and everything. d-do you think... that it's possible that w-we....." He fumbled, balling his hands a few times to try to get his point across. "I just don't want to get my hopes all up if you really don't...." He scratched the back of his neck and adjusted his glasses. He was beating around the bush on this but he couldn't help it. It was as if he couldn't stop now that he'd started. "Cause I still..... a-and I don't want it to be awkward so...." He turned to look directly at Jake, trying to be strong, "So just tell me, if I even have a chance. Cause if not, I promise no more weird shit. Just buddies. But I gotta know now before I hurt myself, ya know?"

 

"I-..." Jake swallowed, suddenly seeming really nervous. Dwight couldn't blame him. He'd never taken to any of his advances before, he wasn't expecting it to be different now. He remembered Claudette assuring him often that the subject always seemed to make Jake nervous. Hell, if it was the other way around, he would be too. But Dwight needed to know.

Though the trailer was still dark, Dwight was close enough to him to tell he was struggling to keep eye contact with him.

 

Jake couldn't hold it. He sheepishly looked away, messing with the fabric of his sleeves. "I-... I guess I just... kept avoiding it because I thought... if we got out, I'd never see any of you guys again, m..much less you... so there wasn't a point, but..." He trailed off.

It was weird to hear Jake so shy and nervous. He always had seemed confident and bold, or just nonchalant, but it had become clear to him in the time he'd known Jake that it was just a facade.

"...I don't know.." Jake sighed in a sort of whisper.

 

Dwight jumped on the fact that it wasn't a 'no'. It all pieced together now why he'd never responded to it before. He gave a soft smile and fidgeted, feeling like he should hug him but he didn't want to push. "I understand... I'm not saying we jump right into it or anything." Dwight chuckled nervously. "Thank you for not shutting me out though." He said softly, leaning against Jake gently. He could feel him get a little stiff from it, but he wasn't moving away so he assumed it was okay.

Dwight rubbed at his eyes, the whole ordeal taking a good deal of energy out of him. "Uh- s-so, the girls would really appreciate knowing where you are... if they ask, do you want me to tell them?" He felt like a subject change was a good idea.

 

Jake groaned, but it was a lot more light-hearted, "Ugh, they're going to yell at me if you do..." He paused, sighing, "But... sure I guess? They'll probably pry it out of you anyways, knowing them." He laughed quietly, slowly relaxing back down.

Dwight hummed in agreement, "They're certainly persistent." He gave a yawn and leaned on Jake a little harder as he relaxed into him. It was hardly anything, but it eased his nerves so much.

 

"I don't mean to be a downer but it is getting pretty late. Do you want me to just sleep on the couch?" Dwight chuckled a little and nuzzled Jake's shoulder. "It's pretty comfortable."

Jake lightly shrugged the shoulder Dwight wasn't leaning on, "It's whatever you'd prefer I guess? I could sleep just about anywhere right now." He paused to yawn quietly, then gently nudged Dwight, teasing, "You sure I'm not too grungy to be leaning on?"

Dwight snickered and pulled away from him, "While you could stand to shower more, I can handle it. The trim job is nice though." In some ways though, Jake actually had been a lot cleaner than the rest of them back then. His outdoor gear... maybe not so much, but it kept his skin safe from the mud and dirt, unlike the rest of the group.

 

"I'll stop though, you don't need to carry this weight anymore." Dwight smiled, looking around in the dark, "If we even can get to sleep that is. Usually the nightmares are terrible." He pulled off his glasses and set them aside.

Jake hummed ever so quietly, before he got up suddenly, wandering off into the dark of the trailer. "We'll just have to wait and see, I guess."

He walked further to the point he almost disappeared into the dark. If he hadn't been watching where he was heading, Dwight probably wouldn't be able to even tell he was there. Even with glasses on or not. He could hear the slight squeak of a closet door, and the soft rustle of Jake searching for something inside.

 

"Ah," He mumbled, trudging back to the couch to hand Dwight a spare blanket and pillow, "Here ya go."

Dwight was a little let down that he wouldn't get to snuggle up with Jake, but was he really expecting that? "Oh, thanks!" He took off his shoes and set them beside the couch, towards the door, "I guess I'll see you in the morning. Hope we finally get some good sleep." He smiled, loosening his tie off to place it with his glasses.

Jake nodded a little, though without his glasses on he just looked like a blur to Dwight. "Yeah... uh," Jake ruffled his hair and backed up to start towards the other end of the trailer, adding a quiet, "...goodnight."

 

Dwight slowly curled up on the couch; it really was pretty comfortable after all. He waited until he heard Jake disappear behind a door to try and fall asleep. It was a lot more comforting knowing he was with Jake again, but he couldn't stop from being impulsive. He leaned over to grab Jake's jacket and curled it around himself. With that and the blanket he was warm within minutes, and quickly nodded off. Maybe a little more like passed out from exhaustion, but nevertheless, he was asleep.

 

It was the first good night of rest he had since the day he got home.


	3. Covering

Dwight woke up after a series of stranger-than-usual dreams. The room was still dark; what time was it? Had he slept more than two hours this time? It certainly felt like he had, but it couldn't have been all that long if it was still this dark out. But it was comforting. A dark warmth, all wrapped up in the blanket, sunken into the cushions of the couch.

 

As the heavy stupor of sleep cleared more, he pushed the warm blanket off, pulling the jacket up around his shoulders. He hardly had remembered where he was until he saw Jake. He was tucked away in the little booth that was the dining table, propped up on his elbow, his face buried in his hand.

Dwight wondered how long he'd been there. He kind of wished Jake had woken him up, but he couldn't complain about the extra rest. He quickly reached over to grab his glasses, getting up to squeeze into the booth next to him, rousing Jake to look up from his hand blearily at him.

 

"Okay so... maybe not the best sleep..." Dwight mumbled, still awfully groggy, "More than usual.... certainly more... disturbing than usual but..." He slumped sleepily onto the table and groaned. He hadn't quite realized it was Jake's jacket he was wrapped up in.

Jake mimicked Dwight's groan quietly, "Yeahhh..." He mumbled, sliding down on his elbow a little, "Better than twenty minutes at least."

 

Dwight... well Dwight mumbled a response and slipped back into sleep. He pushed against Jake, grumbling something like, 'Twenty more minutes... yeaaah.. sure....' He hardly heard the small huff of a laugh from Jake, and didn't see his crooked smile before he looked back out the window at the morning gloom.

 

* * *

 

Dwight didn't sleep for too much longer, but he felt better when he woke up. He looked up at Jake with a sleepy smile, "You chased my nightmares away." He chuckled, knowing that wasn't the case but he made himself laugh. He stared at him for a moment, trying to decide if it was just the dim light making Jake's eyes look a bit red and puffy or not. Had... had he been crying..? He still looked rather tired, maybe it was just that? He knew Jake wouldn't say if he asked. "So what are you up to today? Anything in mind? Or... should I get out of your hair.... and uh, out of your jacket. I'm sorry..." Boy, he was a sloppy mess waking up.

 

Jake only laughed though, low and still a little grumbly from sleep, "Nah, your fine." He leaned down close to the table to try and see the sky out the window, squinting before he sat back up. "I mean, there's a lot I should kick myself into doing. Yannow, like get back into the swing of things, of livin' out here. But... I dunno." He leaned on his arm to ruffle his hair, "It kinda looks like it might rain..."

He glanced back at Dwight, staring a little higher than his face. It reminded Dwight that his hair was probably messy from sleep, just like Jake's was. Though Jake always had that sort of messy, tousled look by default. It suited him.

 

Dwight fidgeted a little, "I should... probably find a job." He frowned at the thought of getting back into the work force. Not like that ever had worked out very well for him in the past. "Unless I can help you in some way." He paused to take a breath. "Im kidding, hah haha like help ya work around here and pay me off... with... haha yeah, nah that's..." He whined and got up. He was fumbling over his words, and they didn't make much sense to him now that he'd said them out loud. He wasn't sure where he'd been going with this to begin with. "I don't want to get a job again." He said, slowly shuffling Jake's jacket off, "But I also don't want to overstay my welcome, and you've been really generous."

Jake smiled back at him though, shrugging, "Well, yeah, but you'd get bored being out here all the time." He scooted out of the booth to stand as well, heading over to the door to grab his boots. "It's fine, Dwight, really. It's still pretty early, you don't have to rush off right away."

Dwight's face lit up, "You mean you aren't tired of me yet?" He headed over to grab his shoes and put them on too. "A-and hey I wouldn't get bored out here, I'd have you to keep me company!" He paused, and shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe I'm not as used to roughing it as you are, but I certainly got used to it to some degree from... ya know... then."

 

Jake only sort of hummed in response, swinging the door open. Dwight decided to drop the subject. He knew Jake was right; he probably would get bored out here. Plus there was the whole issue of hunting? _Yeah, no thanks._ He realized he was mostly just digging for an excuse to stay with him. Now that he'd found Jake, he didn't really want to let him out of sight. Knowing that the entity was out there somewhere was still hanging over his head. He knew he'd said he wouldn't stop him from living out here, but... he really wanted Jake away from these woods. Maybe not necessarily meaning he had to move to the city, but he at least just wanted him to move somewhere safer. Anywhere but here.

Dwight followed Jake as he hopped down the steps and walked out a ways into the clearing. The air outside was chilly and dark, but it was just light enough to see. Or at least, it was brighter compared to the gloom of the trailer. The thick, dark clouds in the sky certainly didn't help with the lack of light. The woods were a lot nicer then they were back then, gloomy or not. Being with Jake made it better too.

Jake sighed, scratching at his hair while heading over to the side of the trailer where the generator was. He hummed, stepping around it as he squinted at it. Dwight followed his gaze, starting to fidget again. There was only a small layer of dust on it, spread haphazardly from rain.

 

 _Should he help?_ He stood there for a moment, extending out his arms a bit like he would reach to help, then would pull back. He did this a few times, looking confused and unsure. The generator was in a lot better condition than the ones they had all been fixing to power the exit gates, but it was identical to them.

 

Jake ran a finger over the top of it, smearing the dust. He glanced at the layer on his finger with a frown before he rubbed it away and sighed, kneeling down behind the generator to reach for something underneath the trailer.

"Well," Jake stood back up, looking over at Dwight briefly before he shook the tarp in his hands to unfold it, "Definitely looks like rain." He huffed, tossing it over the generator.

 

"Yeah.." Dwight gave a wobbly smile, while Jake brushed off his hands and worked on securing the tarp down. He walked closer to be more of a helping hand if Jake wanted him to be. Though mostly he just looked around, trying to remember the layout of the area if he came back without him. "It's so quiet out here..." He mumbled.

Jake nodded, straightening back up once the tarp was tied down. He looked up at Dwight with a small, crooked smile, "Calm before the storm." He fiddled with the tarp for a moment longer, the smile fading as he stared at the ground. "It... used to be soothing..."

 

Dwight leaned against the trailer with a smile, "Well, it's nice when ya got company." He looked out into the woods, watching leaves fall, "Even if its quiet..." He turned back to Jake and laughed a little. "Which reminds me, I'm really sorry if I was a little too forward and pushy about liking you and all back then." Dwight ran a hand through his own hair, adjusting his glasses, "I was just so scared that I was gonna die without you knowing. At that point I was just tired of not speaking up and... well, a lot of what I said was Meg's idea so..." He snickered.

Jake looked back up from the ground and over at Dwight. He blinked, dumbfounded for a second, before the smile wobbled back onto his lips, "...oh my god." A laugh bubbled over and he hid his face in his hand, "I... had a feeling she was in on that." He paused to run his hand up through his hair, "She'd get this annoying smirk on her face all the time."

Dwight couldn't help but smile wider. Jake's laugh was too cute, his smile was super contagious. "Y-yeah, the two of 'em pried it out of me pretty quickly, and she INSISTED on 'helping' me. Then she got Nea in on it to and..." He kicked at the dirt a bit, "It was a little much towards the end and that's... what I really wanted to apologize for." He paused to shrug loosely, "Meg thought for sure that would work."

Jake glanced at the things left around his trailer, "She's kinda... uh, impulsive. Sometimes...." He mumbled, distracted, staring at the corner that lead to the backside of the trailer. The majority of things that couldn't be left in the rain already seemed to be put away. Dwight assumed with how bad the weather had been, that Jake hadn't bothered to take anything back out for a while.

"Yeah..." Dwight laughed lightly, trailing into silence as he followed Jake around, helping where he could with tucking away what was left out underneath the trailer. It had wooden pallets underneath, to get everything up off the ground. They weren't oddly colored like the ones in the entity's realm though, thankfully. It was hard to make out what a lot of the stuff stored under it was, but he was pretty sure he saw several gas cans neatly lined up next to each other.

 

"So is... that what you do for power? The ah... generator, I mean." Dwight couldn't imagine how that would work out for years on end. Sure he had gas cans for it, but how did he even get new ones for it way out here? Unless he actually went to the city now and again, and really was like a hobo in scraping by with odd jobs to get the cash for it. That... was a bit sad to think about.

Jake shrugged, brushing off the dirt from his hands from moving everything underneath the trailer, "In a pinch, yeah." He glanced up at the cloudy sky, "At this rate, with how the weather's been, I'm... going to have to start it up. I have solar panels, but... I don't want them out in the rain."

 

He certainly didn't sound very enthused about it, and Dwight couldn't blame him. He followed suit as Jake stood up to brush off his pants. "You have solar panels..?" Well that settled the issue on power, he supposed.

 

"Yeah. They're on top of the trailer," Jake vaguely motioned upwards, "I have batteries they charge, but since I had put everything away for a storm before uhm... yannow..." He waved his hands a little, either not able to find the right words, or was slipping into thinking about it too much. Dwight nodded quickly to let him know he knew what he meant; before the whole fiasco with the entity.

Jake smiled sheepishly in silent thanks, "They're all but drained now, but these storms just... won't let up." He looked around at the dark wall of trees, lightly rubbing his shoulder before stepping around the covered generator to head back inside.

 

"S-so are we uh... what now?" Dwight asked, following behind Jake back into the trailer, "I'm good with just... ya know hangin out... o-or something." The fact that he was again stuck alone with Jake had his head spinning once more. _Don't do anything rash, idiot_ ; his mind snapped at him.

Jake simply shrugged to convey he didn't have a plan. While he stopped to kick off his boots and close the door, Dwight sunk back into the couch, a little dazed.

 

It had gotten lighter out fast, the cold morning light peeking through the blinds. It was just enough to see more than the rough outline of furniture. He admired the little details while Jake shuffled over to the corner the kitchen was in. In the light—as faint as it was—Dwight was almost surprised to realize that the trailer was actually rather spacious. It looked so unassuming from the outside in the dark, but it seemed a lot of the room was from alcoves that could fold back in neatly when on the road.

The living room of sorts he was sitting in was to the left of the door where they came in. It would have led straight into it if it wasn't immediately split with the start of the kitchen counter curved around in a u-shape, and the half-wall separating the alcove the dining table was in. Further down seemed to be storage, maybe the door to a bathroom before a single door at the very end. That was what he was assuming was Jake's bedroom; only because that's where he'd disappeared the night before.

The rest of the trailer seemed to be more storage; possibly had been something more, but was re-purposed. It was just the basics. Bed, bath, kitchen and dining, and a living-room. Yet all of it seemed well taken care of. Well lived in too, and maybe there was a bit of dust here and there, but hell, hadn't his apartment been the same when he got back? Dwight honestly had expected to not even have his apartment anymore when he returned, but everything had been as he'd left it, just a bit dusty.

 

  
"Do you want some water?"

  
Dwight pulled the blanket around his shoulders, blinking away from his thoughts and admiring to look over at Jake when he spoke up. He was standing in front of the fridge. Dwight probably wouldn't have noticed if Jake hadn't said anything; there was no lights on for the fridge and he couldn't hear it humming. It was more than concerning that just past him he could see that it was completely empty, spare a few bottles of water.

"Oh- uhm, sure!" Dwight offered a smile, trying to mask his growing concern.

 

Jake stood there for a moment longer after handing over the bottle of water, scratching at his hair. "I'll... be right back." He mumbled, then retreated to the far door to his room.

 

He tried not to overthink on if Jake really was doing okay out here by himself or not. It... was easier said than done.

 

 

"Homey." Dwight commented once he heard the shuffle of Jake's feet as he returned. He looked up from his water at him; still with his turtleneck on, but he'd changed into a pair of loose—and slightly torn—jeans. Jake sure looked different without the thicker cargo pants and jacket. A lot... thinner. He was starting to worry that maybe he actually had lost weight if his fridge being empty was anything to go by.

Dwight gave a wobbly smile, "Can really tell you come from a bit of money, Jake. Don't suppose there's anything I can do to get a bit of it?"

He tried to hold it for a moment, not noticing how Jake sort of froze up from it, before he laughed and waved it off, "Just kidding! I'm not THAT desperate." He snickered, relaxing into the couch. He was starting to finally feel a bit more comfortable around Jake. Meg would've given him a solid 10/10 for that quip.

 

Jake didn't laugh with him though. "Uh," He blinked, looking away, but he had a tiny smile, "Yeahh..." His voice was almost a whisper as he stared at the floor, before shrugging it off. He shook his head and trudged over to flop on the couch next to Dwight with a sigh, "I guess you could say that?"

 

But Dwight could tell that he hit a nerve. He stopped snickering altogether, "I-I'm sorry, did I say something wrong? I didn't mean to..." He fidgeted with the fabric of the couch. So much for feeling comfortable with him. He slouched down into the cushions, mumbling, "Who am I kidding, I a _m_ that desperate to get close to you. I'm sorry Jake." Jake may not have been the most social but hell, at this point, he was doing better than how Dwight felt he was doing right about now.

Jake frowned, staring at Dwight, almost a bit stunned. He went to say something, but stopped as Dwight kept going, changing the subject.

"Hey- if you want we can go into the city and I'll buy you some breakfast." Dwight shrugged with his suggestion, sliding down the couch a little.

 

Jake hesitantly, and ever-so-lightly patted Dwight's shoulder. "It's... okay. I'm sorry, it's not like you knew." He mumbled quietly, glancing to the door. He didn't elaborate on what it was that had rubbed him the wrong way. Jake shifted a little, and shied away, "Would... it.. make you feel better if I did..?"

Dwight nodded before thinking. "Oh, well I mean, it's you who sounds like he needs cheering up." He sat back up, smiling, but it was wholey unsure anymore, "But I mean it'd be nice to eat breakfast right? Unless you uh, just want me to leave, which I can do too..."

 

Jake was quiet for a moment, offering a smile back, but it mirrored Dwight's with being unsure, "Nah..." He started, while trying to ease his small smile into something at least less uncertain, "I mean, I avoid civilization like the plague, but as long as you don't make me talk to anyone else, yeah?" He softly said, a hint of humor to it. He leaned over to prop himself up on an arm, giving a short, airy laugh, "If you're sure you'd wanna even be seen in public with me."

Dwight was once again struck down by how cute Jake could be. "Are you kidding?!? You're... you're-!!" He said motioning up and down at Jake, who quickly looked flustered from it. Dwight gave a small laugh and shook his head, "Are you sure you can handle being seen with a nerd?" He asked back, pushing up his glasses, but didn't wait for an answer. He got up from the couch, suddenly fueled with enthusiasm, "C'mon you only have to talk to me, and even then its only if you want to."

 

Jake's small smile grew wider—and more wobbly—at Dwight's sudden energy. He pried himself from the couch, but he was a lot less energetic about it. "Hey, uh..." He started, pausing to reach over to the end table to grab Dwight`s tie, "Don't forget this." He said, handing him the red-striped fabric.

"Oh yeah, thanks." Dwight smiled softly, adjusting the tie up under his collar so it looked nice. He was secretly planning to leave it there as an excuse to come back, but at this rate things were going pretty good. "I know the perfect place we can go. It's right by my apartment and run by this lil' old couple! They're so sweet." He rambled, making his way out of the trailer as Jake yawned to himself and slipped his boots back on.

 

It took a bit of effort to get back to the car. More from Jake directing them to the road and Dwight tripping over things. There was thunder in the distance, and as they reached the car it began to rain. Luckily, they had ducked inside just in time.


	4. Diner Situations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> haha get it  
> dire  
> diner  
> u get it  
> *ba-dum-tishhh*

The drive back was in silence. Dwight had tried to say something once or twice, but mostly just got distracted hums in response.

Dwight didn't mind. He figured Jake was trying to build up a defensive wall around himself to handle being in the city, if him sinking down into the passenger seat the whole way there wasn't a dead giveaway. If not just from being alone in the woods for years according to him, Dwight knew all too well how hard it was to adjust to the city after all they'd gone through. It was bound to be harder for Jake.

 

Dwight parked at the back of his little apartment. It was raining a lot harder; too bad he hadn't brought an umbrella. He ran over to the diner right next door with Jake in tow, their arms linked together. Dwight dismissed it as not wanting to get seperated but Jake didn't seem to mind or wouldn't say he did.

They made it to the diner all in all intact, if not a little wet. Dwight shivered from the cold while they waited for their food, but he didn't complain since the place was practically empty. He took a sip of water as Jake was staring at the table, "The food's really good you're going to love it—"

 

"Dwight! Deary, you didn't tell me you were goin' to stop by today!" A little old woman called from across the room, and Dwight nearly choked on his water. She was making her way over to the two of them with a big, warm smile. Jake looked up from the table and all but seemed to have frozen up.

 

"Oh sorry Nana, Jake, this is the owner of this little place—" Dwight had started to introduce her when she cut in, placing a hand on his shoulder.

 

"Call me Nana, all the little youngin's do." She certainly had a friendly presence and the 'everyone's grandma' sort of look. "Boy, you sure are a rugged one, aren't'ya?" She said to Jake who might as well have been a statue at this point. She leaned down closer to Dwight, who was pretty sure she was saying that as an indirect, nicer way of saying Jake looked a bit roughed up if not dirty. "Is this why you don't visit as much, cause you found yourself a boyfriend? Awfully handsome."

 

Dwight jerked away from the woman, his face and ears turning bright red, "NANA!!!" He hollered, completely embarassed.

 

The old lady laughed, patting Dwight's shoulder, "You kids are so serious these days. It's good to see you again, Dwight. We miss your company when you're not around." She gave him a small kiss on the head before walking off, but not without giving Jake a small pat on the shoulder as well.

 

Dwight was still seriously red. "I... am so.... sorry." He breathed, trying to calm down, his turn to now stare at the table. He couldn't even look at Jake and only broke his stare when their food arrived a moment later.

 

Once they were relatively alone again, Jake tried to offer Dwight a smile, even if it was stiff and a bit crooked. He wheezed out a sort of small laugh, "It's okay..." He quietly assured, glancing out the window at the rain.

 

Dwight wasn't convinced it was. The silence as they ate was dreadful.

 

Dwight sat back once he was done, "Do you need to go back, or do you... do you wanna h-hang out at my place?" He asked, nervously paying for their breakfast. He felt so terrible for that interaction. Jake had even said he didn't want to talk to anyone. "You don't have to..." Dwight mumbled, playing with his fork.

"Sure?" Jake was noticeably quieter. He had a soft expression, but his eyes flicked from Dwight and back out at the rain a bit too quickly. "I mean, yeah, I have stuff to do... but not in the rain."

Dwight smiled up at Jake and shrugged, "Ok." He said, happier, but still not his enthusiastic self. He slipped out of the booth with him and all but dragged Jake back over to his apartment, again dodging the rain.

 

Dwight fought with the keys a little, fumbling them a few times, but got the door open before they got too soaked. He let Jake in first, closing the door behind himself. He was seriously shivering now. Dwight kicked off his shoes and put them by the door to avoid tracking more water in as Jake did the same while looking around.

"W-welcome to my place." Dwight chattered with a quivering smile, "It's not much but it's cozy..." He walked over to the smallest looking fireplace in the world and started to light it as Jake followed.

 

He hardly heard Jake softly mumble a simple, "It's nice."

 

"The heater's busted... so.... it means I get the only fireplace in the deal but.... it's not exactly...." Dwight held his hands out to warm them when the fire finally caught and started. "It's not much....." He quietly rambled on, staring into the flames, lost in thought. Why _was_  he trying so hard? "There's hot water if you want a shower or something. I'm pretty sure I have some shirts that would fit you...." Dwight plopped down in front of the couch and ran his hand through his wet hair, trying to push some of the water off.

Jake only hummed lowly to let Dwight know he'd heard him, taking a seat next to him on the floor, scratching at his damp hair. Dwight hardly needed to look to see his shoulders were tense.

Dwight knew he shouldn't push Jake; He already felt he'd pushed him so far though. Against everything Jake stood for, here he was. Dwight's lip wobbled, he'd end up making himself cry at this point. Over what? His phone buzzed in his pocket. He huffed, knowing it was the girls as they were the only other three people on the planet who had his number. Why was he being such a downer? He texted Meg back that he was here but tossed his phone off to Jake. "I'm gonna take a shower real fast... say hi if you want or just... hold it for me."

 

Jake flinched, almost missing the phone, "Uh-... okay." He mumbled after Dwight, staring at the screen before he set it down.

 

The rain outside was only getting heavier and Dwight could hear the low rumbling of thunder. Once he was in the bathroom, he peeled off his clothes and set aside his glasses. The water was hot as usual. He sat there for a good few minutes brooding. A conflict of assumptions and knowing he shouldn't let himself be consumed by it, as they most likely were far from the truth.

 

Dwight sighed, trying to distract himself with actually cleaning so he wouldn't end up in the shower for an uncomfortable amount of time. Out of the shower and generally toweled dry, he pulled on his old pizzeria shirt and some comfy pants, trudging back out to sit with Jake again.

Jake looked up and seemed like he was going to say something, but hesitated, losing whatever he was going to say when a louder crack of thunder interrupted. Dwight jumped, but didn't make any noise, shakily picking up his phone.

 

 

 **Meg** : Awe good! Me and Claudette were thinking of grabbing dinner tonight if you wanna come with us. We can go see that stupid geek movie you wanted to see!

  
As there had been no response while Dwight was in the shower, Meg had texted him again,

  
 **Meg** : HEY FOUREYES dont you go and get all sad again. We'll find Jake ok? It might take your mind off him to get out a bit...

  
He simply texted her for a rain-check.

 

  
"So..." Dwight huffed, trying to pull himself together, "You want anything to drink... or anything..?" He asked while pulling the blanket off the couch to offer a side of it to Jake.

Jake shrugged, trying to fluff out the mess that was his hair. "Oh, uh..." He smiled up at Dwight softly at the offer of the blanket, "Thanks. And I'm fine, I'm good with just chillin' here."

 

Dwight smiled as Jake took the blanket. He held onto one corner and helped to wrap them both up in it. It was a bit of a bold move but it was certainly much warmer being in the blanket with Jake. The fire itself was nice but this was better. "As long as you're here." He smiled balling up his hands nervously.

Jake shifted a little but otherwise didn't seem to mind, and again just hummed for his response. They sat there in the blanket, listening to the rain and thunder. At some point Jake stretched out his arms to hold his hands out, trying to warm them by the fire instead of being tucked against his arms.

 

It felt like ages as Dwight watched his hands. He hadn't been as noticeably cold like Dwight had, but it was clearly visible in the the way Jake's hands shook lightly.

Dwight slowly reached out towards his hands, like someone slowly going to touch a wild animal. Jake all but froze up exactly like one too. He was terribly stiff as Dwight took his hands in his own; he was too scared to really do anything else. Jake's hands were really cold, especially against his own warm ones.

Jake just sort of awkwardly stared at their hands to avoid looking directly at Dwight. If Jake was to so much as say anything, Dwight was sure he would bust into a red tomato. As long as he just held his hands like this though, it would be ok.

 

Jake seemed like he was about to say something, but before he could, the loudest crack of thunder so far in the storm broke the silence. The both of them practically jumped out of their skin.

Dwight pulled their hands closer; he was almost doubled over he'd cringed so badly from it. It took him a moment after the thunder rumbled by to realize he was probably squeezing Jake's hands a bit harshly. He loosened his grip, but didn't let go, "S-sorry." He mumbled, a small wavering smile on his face. His cheeks had flared up an obscene red.

 

Jake's lip wobbled a little, before he broke into a wide, stupid grin. He hid his face in the crook of his elbow as he wheezed out a laugh, "It's.. alright," It then devolved into soft, but sheepish laughter at himself, "I... kinda like storms, but jeeze, that was loud."

 

"Y-yeah." Dwight gently leaned against Jake's shoulder. He freed a hand to adjust the blanket tighter around them, before returning it back over Jake's. "It's still... really nice though." He said softly, referring to the sound of the rain and more distant thunder, "And... especially when its warm inside."

Jake nodded, calming his laughter with a sigh, "Like a little reminder that... yannow, we're actually free..."

The most weather there ever had been in the entity's realm was distant wind, or any fog they brought with them as an offering. As nasty as the weather here could be, Dwight had to agree it was a nice reminder.

 

He sat there, not looking at Jake, holding his hands for as long as he could. Jake wasn't complaining or pulling away, and seemed just as content to focus on the fire and not bring it up. Dwight thought maybe he caught the hint of a blush on his face, but it was hard to tell if it was that or just from him having been cold. Between the blanket, the fire, and Dwight's hands, Jake had warmed up fast.

"Is.... this ok?" Dwight asked softly. It was pretty late to ask but he had a plan. Another plan that would be Meg-certified for sure, which always spelled trouble. He braced himself, staring at the floor as Jake hesitated to answer.

 

"I... uh," Jake pried his stare away from the fire. Dwight could see he was glancing between their hands and the fire out of the corner of his eye. "..yeah..?"

Dwight took a deep breath, "Yeah." He sighed, turning to face Jake, "I'm really glad you came up here with me. Especially in this weather." He was rambling from his nerves, he should have done it already. He chuckled softly, "It would've been a little hard to fair all by myself. Just... thanks. For everything." He leaned over to place a small kiss on Jake's cheek. He could practically hear Meg losing it in the back of his head, with air horns added for effect.

 

Jake blinked, more than surprised by it. He glanced over at Dwight, only to really, _really_  freeze up. Dwight was hardly aware he had clenched his jaw tightly in the wait to see how Jake would take this. He was pretty sure he saw Jake's cheeks flare red, and his lip wobble.

Jake couldn't hold the stare, sheepishly looking back to the fire, waiting till after a rumble of thunder to reply in almost a whisper, "N-...no problem..."

 

Dwight's heart melted.

 

He was so happy; Jake made him so happy. He rested his head on his shoulder and closed his eyes. Taking the moment for what it was worth and letting it sink in. Maybe things would be good between them after all. Oh gosh, what would the girls think of his bravery? Going out and finding Jake, holding his hands, and _kissing his cheek_. Dwight's own face flared up again. All he could think of was how happy he felt.

Jake slowly relaxed back down the longer they sat there in silence. Listening to the storm and the fire, snuggled up in the blanket. At some point he'd ever-so-lightly leaned back against Dwight. Resting his head on top of his carefully so he wouldn't disturb him.

Dwight slowly nodded off; his hands slacking their hold on Jake's. Being so comfortable and happy, he easily slipped off in the warmth of the fire.

 

 

* * *

 

 

A terrible nightmare once again, back in the dark woods. Dwight had his leg stuck in a trap. The rusty teeth digging in deep, the fresh blood quickly soaking into his pant-leg. He couldn't feel it, but he could feel the hot tears in his eyes. Shaking hands pried at the horrible, rusted metal, desperately trying to free himself. He could see the large figure of the Trapper in the distance heading for a hook, Jake slung over his shoulder like a ragdoll, bleeding heavily from the hits it took to catch him.

Dwight was all but helpless. After several panicked tries, he finally freed himself from the bear trap, but there was a sea of other traps blocking the way to Jake, dangling on the hook; the spider-like entity crackled behind him up the back of the hook. Dwight tried his hardest to pick his way through all the traps, but the entity was too quick. Halfway there and Jake already had to fight against the grotesque claws itching to sink into his skin. By the time Dwight made it close enough to reach for him, it was too late. He had to jerk away to narrowly avoid the blood-soaked claw as it impaled straight through his fluffy-haired friend.

 

  
Jake's scream and the crackling of the entity echoed in Dwight's ears as he woke abruptly, eyes soaked with tears. His legs were numb from sitting in the same position for so long.

Dwight took a deep breath and sighed. The storm was passing, mostly distant rumbles to signify it was still there. Guess Jake didn't scare his nightmares away after all. He sniffled a bit, trying to pull himself together a little more before wrapping his arms under Jake's in a hug.

Jake seemed a little startled by it, but was quickly more concerned from the other's sniffling. "...Dwight?" He asked quietly, before carefully returning the hug. "You okay..?"

Dwight was almost in disbelief that Jake was hugging him back. Or even that he was still here. Not that he really thought Jake would ditch him, but part of him still was amazed any of this had happened. It didn't really help with the whole trying-not-to-cry department.

"Just a nightmare..." Dwight smiled, nuzzling against Jake, "I'm just so happy you're ok." He mumbled into his shirt so that it wouldn't sound so much like a whimper.

Jake lightly patted Dwight's back, "Oh." His voice a whisper; The fire was almost out.

Dwight's phone started to buzz more. He begrudgingly pulled away from Jake to read the messages.

 

  
 **Meg** : Ya know Dwight your texting etiquette needs WORK. AINT NO BOY GONNA FUNAWANA DATE YOU IF YOU RUDE

  
Dwight stared at the screen, dumbfounded. Jake stretched out while he read the messages. The texts continued.

  
 **Meg** : Anyways. This storm ain't what chasin you away right? C'mon Dwight, youre not sugar you arnt gonna melt.

  
And even more.

  
 **Meg** : DWIGHT I SWEAR TO GOD WERE GONNA COME OVER THERE AND KICK YOUR ASS

  
Then followed by a message he was pretty sure was from Claudette through Meg's phone.

  
' **Meg** ': We are not going to kick your ass, but you should come out of the house at some point.

  
Dwight blinked. Wait... so they weren't coming over, or they just weren't kicking his ass when they got there? He definitely didn't want to ruin the moment with Jake. He took one for the team and texted back.

  
 **Dwight** : Fuck off.

 

  
This was a mistake.

  
  


  
"Is Meg still nagging you over that thing?" Jake asked, a bit grumbly from his stretching. He shook his head to fluff out his hair, leaning back on his hands.

Dwight gave Jake a nervous smile, "Yeah... but it's fine." A moment later his phone buzzed again. His face noticeably paled from the blush that was ever present before.

 

 **Meg** : Excuse Me?

 **Meg** : You better have a place to hide Fairfield

 

  
Dwight stared at the screen with a small laugh, "Oh... maybe not." He looked back over at Jake, a flash of panic overtaking him. "I may have just told her to fuck off and she now may be in the process of hunting me down for dinner... instead of going out..."

Jake lightly snickered, "Ohhh. Man, you fucked up if you made Meg mad." He gently nudged Dwight teasingly, before he shifted to get up, straightening out his shirt. He offered a hand to help Dwight up as well, "Maybe we should get outta dodge then?"

Dwight took his hand with a sigh, "Where we gonna go though? Back to your trailer? I feel awful bein' such a dead weight to you..." He still held the blanket around his shoulders with one hand, "A-and I didn't want to make her mad, we were just... having such a nice time and I didn't want her interrupting anymore." He rambled, trying to justify telling _Meg_ , of all people, to fuck off. He smiled, putting the blanket back on the couch, "It was so warm..."

 

Jake loosely shrugged, "Yeah. There's stuff I really should be doing though." He paused by the door, staring down at his boots, before he glanced up at Dwight, "But you know you shouldn't hide from Meg for too long."

Dwight knew all too well it would only worsen her wrath. He sighed heavily, "Let me drive you home and we'll see if I don't end up crawling up to your doorstep. Meg's a real life killer to me... haha... hah... aaahhh...." He trailed off in nervous laughter, obviously scared. Meg's temper was something to be feared.

 

  
He grabbed his keys and headed outside with Jake. The drive back was once again, in relative silence. His phone hadn't buzzed the whole way back to the woods.

Dwight was rather surprised at himself that he'd remembered the spot where the hidden path to Jake's trailer was. "W-will I get to see you again? I know you don't have a phone s-so uhm.... if not it's ok, I won't barge in anymore... it would just be nice to do this again."

His face was red, knowing full well he meant the cuddling in the house more than hanging out, but he didn't elaborate on it.

Jake offered a soft smile to try and reassure Dwight, "Uh, yeah. Sure..!" He scratched at the back of his neck, his other hand hovering over the car door handle as he glanced out into the brush. The forest looked almost cheery in the light after the storm. "I could just leave the trailer unlocked, or put the keys somewhere in case yannow, I'm off doing something..?"

"S-so today wasn't too much?" Dwight smiled, feeling an ounce more confident over their tiny relationship being anything more than his own delusional dream. "Uhm, and if you hide the keys somewhere close I'm sure I could find 'em if it was something serious. Like by the generator or something." He offered.

Jake shrugged, "Nah, it was pretty alright." He rubbed at his arm a bit sheepishly, before sticking to the subject change. He opened the passenger door, "And uh, yeah. That works. By the generator somewhere."

"Okay." Dwight nodded in agreement, watching Jake get out of the car, before whining, "If Meg kills me, you'll come to my funeral right?" He all but whimpered at seeing his phone light up with a bright,

 

 **Meg** : WHY ARNT YOU HOME? WHERE ARE YOU, YOU SKINNY COWARD

 

Jake couldn't help but let a snicker bubble over, "What, is she tearing your house apart or something?" He teased, before settling back down into the little smile again. It was still the same rusty, crooked smile, but it was getting there. "You'll be fine. You're tough."

 

Was that a genuine compliment? And a smile? Dwight was star-struck. "T-th-thanks." The reply came out more wobbly then he hoped, but honestly he was hopelessly in love with Jake. Little things like this gave him life. "C-catch up with you soon!" He said, more flustered than anything before.

Dwight couldn't sit still any longer and started the car back up, "I gotta go! Bye!" But there it was, that awful voice crack he feared would happen. He practically slammed his face into the steering wheel before driving off as Jake waved his goodbye.


	5. The Meganing

Dwight pulled his phone out once he was at a red light.

 

 **Dwight** : Ok, im on my way back. DONT KILL ME OKAY you really want MY blood on your hands?

 

There was no response the drive back into the city. The sunlight beaming down was a harsh contrast to the impending doom he felt. Dwight pulled into his apartment to find Meg and Claudette sitting by front of his door.

"Surprised you girls aren't inside." He smiled, trying to seem calm.

 

"You changed the locks, dipwad." Meg bit angrily, "Now you're gonna let us in and make us dinner as an apology for being a roody-moody-broody mess."

 

Dwight took a heavy breath and let them in.

 

* * *

 

Meg and Claudette patiently sat at Dwight's dinning table and waited for their appetizers. Meg demanded a full meal worthy of an apology, and Dwight wasn't fighting. He was glad for the distraction of cooking to avoid talking for the most part, listening to the girls chatter about their day. It was mostly Claudette, trying to fill the silence with a happy topic. Dwight was sure she was only doing it to try and ease his nerves. It hardly helped, and the escape didn't last long.

 

" _So_." Meg started harshly, making Dwight jump. "What on earth empowered you enough to tell _ME_... well, _US_ , to 'fuck off'." She huffed while re-tying her pigtails.

Dwight sighed and started to dish out the first part of the meal, still poking at the second.

"By the way, there better be dessert too." Meg hissed as Dwight set the food down.

 

"I haven't been getting much sleep. I just snapped a little. I said I was sorry." Dwight mumbled. The bags under his eyes were more than enough proof, but Claudette wasn't quite convinced.

 

"Did you sleep on the couch?" She asked with more concern in her voice than anything.

 

"I tried everything. Bed, couch, floor... I even tried sleeping in my car." Dwight said, exhausted, returning to tending the food. He could feel the hair on the back of his neck pricking, and he turned back around only to find Meg glaring at him.

 

Not just any glare. _The Meg glare_. The one that Dwight could feel splitting his head in two and rooting around in his brain.

"You aren't being a liar, are you... DWIGHT?!"

 

Dwight jumped at her aggressive tone, and Claudette sighed, "Honestly, Meg, you're going to make him pee himself." She was far calmer as she ate, "Great dumplings by the way Dwight, they're not over done at all."

"Thank you." Dwight gave a sigh of relief at the chance to break Meg's stare, but it hardly lasted. He turned back once again when he heard a shuffle and the squeak of a chair against the floor. Meg had gotten out of her chair and was right in his face. He practically squeaked like the chair.

"Nana said you came into the diner with a man."

 

Oh fuck. _Oh fuck_.

 

Dwight went to answer, but Claudette waved Meg away, "Let him finish cooking. We don't need a fire burning down his home."

Meg sat back down with the biggest grin on her face, knowing she had the upper hand, "Yes, let him have his last meal." She all but growled.

 

 

Dwight ate in the most uncomfortable, sweaty silence he'd ever experienced in his life.

 

 

* * *

 

 

After dinner and a nice dessert, Dwight was forced to talk. For a solid hour he was able to skirt around saying who it was, and said he just met someone at the diner. Meg quickly ran him out of improvised conversation and into tears.

 

Claudette finally pulled her away, scolding her over making Dwight cry, but she was rather upset about being lied to. She decided to try instead, "Dwight... why don't you want to tell us who you had breakfast with? Nana said she was so proud of you. If it's family, it's family, but if it's someone else like an old friend or something we'd like to know. We're all family now, Dwight. There's nothing to hide."

 

Dwight hiccuped. Claudette was so nice. He mumbled a 'thank you', but still refused to give in. So Claudette turned him back over to Meg, and Meg... well. Meg had other ways of breaking him. She soon had his arm behind his back, threatening to break it.

 

  
"WHO WAS IT?!" She'd yell.

 

"I CAN'T TELL YOU!" He'd yell back. _Oh what the neighbors must think._

 

"WHO WAS IT!" She repeated, jerking Dwight's arm again, making him yelp.

 

"I CAN'T TELL YOU!!" He sobbed for about the tenth time.

 

"WHY NOT?" Meg yelled.

 

  
Dwight finally snapped, "BECAUSE JAKE DIDN'T WANT ME TO FIND HIM IN THE FIRST PLACE!" He was full on crying hysterically, even though Meg had let him go. "THERE, ARE YOU HAPPY!?" He blubbered, burying himself in the blanket he had shared with Jake earlier.

 

"You... found Jake?" Meg asked, a million shades more calm. Dwight only whined loudly, still in tears.

 

Claudette shooed her away once again and sat next to Dwight, holding him close and shushing him softly. "We know Jake doesn't exactly want to be found, but Dwight, you shouldn't hide that..." Claudette said ruffling his hair gently.

 

 

Meg was pacing the floor, beside herself. "How did you find him?" Was her first question.

 

"I went out to the woods to go find him. I figured if I didn't find him it was fate to be lost out there anyway."

 

Meg made a disgusted noise at Dwight's pathetic tone. "You found him this morning?" Was her second question.

 

"No, last night, evening time." He sighed, "It got too dark to drive home so he let me stay in the trailer."

 

Claudette and Meg shared a bit of a glance before the next question, "He... let you stay in the trailer?"

 

Dwight sniffled a little, calming down, "Yeah. I felt bad for bein' a dead weight so I offered to buy him breakfast, and to show him where I lived just in case anything happened out there, ya know."

The two girls nodded, Meg seeming to calm down a tick as well. Claudette was the next to finally ask her own question, "Did he like the breakfast? Nana said he was pretty sweet."

Dwight smiled, but shook his head. "He ate well enough but he didn't actually talk to her."

Meg nodded to confirm, "Yep, that's our antisocial hobo." She giggled with that wide, cat-like grin spreading across her face, "Sooo you brought him back here aaaand??"

"W-well it was raining and ya know how it rains here, it's freezing. So I started the fireplace and went to take a shower. I offered him food and shower and stuff but he didn't want anything, so we just sat in front of the fire." Dwight explained, his face lighting up a little.

 

Meg jumped up at seeing his expression brighten, "Details, Fairfield. What. Happened."

Dwight swallowed hard and leaned on Claudette, who told him to take his time. "We sat with the blanket pulled around us a-and he was really cold so I held his hands and... a-and... I kissed his cheek."

Meg gaped at him, speechless for once. Then she nearly died she freaked out so hard, screeching giddily, "YOU DID WHAT?!"

 

Claudette had a knowing grin on her face as well, "So he's giving you a chance?"

Dwight nodded, sniffling, "Y-yeah. I asked about it when we were in the trailer and he said... he said he'd avoided it b-..because he thought he'd never see us again so there wasn't a point... yannow, to start anything if we'd just end up apart anyways..."

While Meg jumped around the room excitedly freaking out to herself, Claudette patted Dwight's arm lightly, "That's... actually really sweet of him."

 

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?!?" Meg suddenly interrupted to join back into the conversation. Dwight was frozen in the wake of her outburst. "YOU REALLY CAN SUCK HIS DICK!!"

Claudette jabbed Meg hard in the ribs. "Would you stop with that. And quit yelling, you're going to make him cry again."

 

 

* * *

 

  
After re-telling the story again in greater detail, the girls started insisting on where Jake lived.

Dwight vaguely told them a way to get there but steered them away from trying to convince him to drive them there. "We can go together tomorrow. He said he had stuff to do and I'm thinking maybe today's been exciting enough for him."

Claudette agreed against Meg's wishes and said goodnight to Dwight. Once the girls were gone, he sighed heavily, stretching as if a massive weight had been lifted from his back. _What an ordeal_.

 

He flopped into bed, feeling like a wreck all over again. He nestled himself down into the mattress, snuggling in the warm blankets. It was times like this he wished Jake had a phone just so he could send him an 'all clear' text.

 

_'You're tough.'_

 

Dwight's face heated and he clutched the pillow to his chest. Jake's words buzzed in his head continuously. Jeeze, he could vividly remember his cute smile as he said that too.

 

He tossed and turned the rest of the night. A mix of feeling stupidly giddy over the events of the day, and looming worries. Worries over Jake living in the same woods the entity lurked in, and over how he was fairing by himself out there. Dwight ended up drifting off with a smile after reminding himself of the good that had happened.

 

He'd found Jake.

He was alive and safe, and giving him a chance.

He'd gotten the guts to hold his hands and kiss his cheek, of all things.

He'd called him _tough_.

 

Things might just be good again after all.


	6. The Gang's All Here

The air was heavy. It sent chills down spines even though it wasn't cold. Dwight stood in the grass, the girls huddled next to him.

 

The generators were running. The gates were open.

 

Yet they huddled behind the cover of the crates and rocks. Dwight's legs felt like cement. They had watched in horror as the Trapper carried Jake around. He wiggled free once, but couldn't make it ten feet before the sharp edge of the blade sliced into his side again.

 

_There was so much blood._

 

His pained crying and choked breaths were torture to listen to. They couldn't do anything. _He_  couldn't do anything.

 

Jake laid there in the grass, gasping, choking on his own blood as it trickled past his lip. His legs rendered useless—possibly broken—by traps clinging to his skin, having been forced into them by the Trapper dropping him into the sharp teeth. His jacket, torn and soaked in red that pooled into the grass and dirt, too dry and cracked to absorb it quick enough.

The red light they'd come to know as 'the stain' bore down on top of him harshly. The vast monster simply glaring down at him. At first, Dwight and the girls didn't understand. Why wasn't he taking Jake to a hook? Why was he just standing there, staring him down?

It became all too clear when their battered friend weakly tried to drag himself away. The cleaver was shoved cruelly into his shoulder. What should have been a scream of pain, only forced itself out in a silent sob and a wheeze of air, as their fluffy-haired friend shrunk back in fear. They couldn't see it past the twisted grin of the mask, but they knew the glare narrowed.

 

There was no doubt in their minds that the Trapper was pissed. _Absolutely livid with Jake._ Sure they knew it aggravated the killers when Jake broke hooks, and in the Trapper's case, bear traps too. But they never thought it would provoke them enough to step away from the one-track mind to sacrifice them on hooks.

This was pure torture. Both to watch, and exactly what it was. Punishment for sabotaging so many things. They weren't that far away from the basement, but it was clear he wasn't going to drag him down the creaky steps. He was going to watch Jake lay there, crumpled in pain, till he bled out.

And there was nothing they could do. Dwight had even _tried_  to help, to distract the Trapper, but Jake had yelled at him to leave before he got chased away with the brutal cleaver at his back.

 

At some point, Dwight felt tugging on his arms, the girls whispering things he couldn't hear through the pounding of his own heartbeat. They pulled him away and to the exit gates though he argued and sobbed against reasonings he wouldn't hear.

 

 

* * *

 

 

It was needless to say, Dwight didn't get much sleep during the night. He hated when the nightmares were the vivid memories instead of a jumble of fragmented ones.

He stayed buried under the blanket, in the pocket of dark warmth, till a loud knock came to his door and made him jump. Why was someone knocking on his door at this hour? He was about to get up, but went stiff as the door opened.

 

"Oh-! He... didn't lock the door..." Dwight heard Claudette comment as she and two others headed in so she could close the door behind them. Most likely Nea and Meg. They were the only other people that ever visited him. He must have forgotten to lock everything up before he'd crashed.

 

"Dwiiight?" Nea called, and in response, he pushed back the blanket enough to peer out at the girls blearily. They were all mostly a blur without his glasses.

 

"There you are! Jeeze, on the couch again? You _still_  sleepin'?"

 

He groaned, covering his eyes with a hand, "Why are you guys here so early?"

 

"Dwight, it's nearly noon." Came a quick, blunt correction.

 

Meg laughed as Dwight only whined, trying to hide under the covers again. He curled up on the couch as heard the soft shuffle of them moving closer. He knew well enough what happened when he was half asleep and Meg was around.

He clung to the blanket as it was tugged, desperately trying to remain on the couch with the blanket against Meg attempting to rip it away from him, "C'mooooon lead man! We're gonna go get late breakfast at Nana's, and you're coming with!"

 

"Let him wake up a little first before you start picking on him." Claudette scolded with a soft snicker, nudging her lightly.

 

Dwight didn't need to see to know Meg stuck her tongue out at her, scoffing, "He's just gonna fall back asleep if I don't."

 

She must have given in, though, as the tugging stopped and control over the blanket returned to him. Dwight huffed, before poking his head back out, propping himself on an arm and dangling the other off the edge of the couch.

Nea plopped down on the floor in front of the couch, grinning at him, "Sooooo..?" Dwight groaned in response, covering his face with his hands. He could see her grin widen between his fingers.

"I heard you were suuuuper brave and went and found our forest hobo!"

 

"Oh god, how much did they tell you?" Dwight whined, peeking out at Nea. He caught Meg mirroring her grin behind her back.

 

"Just that you found him. Meg said she'd fill me in on the rest at breakfast."

 

"Yeah, then you're taking us to see him, remember?" Meg piped up, smiling down at him.

 

  
Dwight blinked, suddenly fully awake, "Oh-! Shit, right!!" The girls moved out of the way as the reminder made him shove off the couch in a tangle of blankets.

 

It was probably the fastest he'd ever gotten dressed and ready for the day in his life.

 

* * *

 

Breakfast was mostly Dwight sitting in silence while they ate, his face flushed red as the girls filled Nana and Nea in on all the fun details on the story he'd shared the night before. He still insisted on correcting that it was an interrogation, and Meg just stuck her tongue out at him each time. Claudette would nudge her in the ribs right after.

With breakfast finished and the story re-told, they said goodbye to Nana and headed out to Dwight's car. Nea quickly claimed dibs on riding shotgun.

The trip there was spent mostly with Nea asking questions now and again on road rules. Dwight was more than happy to answer, knowing she was gearing up towards getting her license. It also gave him something to focus on and keep his mind off the swirl of worries still lingering in the back of his head.

As they drew closer to the forest, the conversation trailed off into an uneasy silence. Dwight was glad it was still daylight out so the girls wouldn't have to experience the full brunt of the paranoia that he had the first time he had drove here. He slowed down as he recognized the spot he'd dropped Jake off last night, "Alright. We have to walk a little ways to get to his trailer, but we're here." He sighed, pulling off to the side of the road and turned the car off.

 

The walk through the brush was in silence, other than Claudette double-checking that he knew where he was going, and Nea telling her to give him more credit than that. He knew it wasn't that she didn't trust him, she just knew from experience how easy it was to get lost out here. When they got to it, Dwight held back the brush for the girls to let them through to the clearing, just like Jake had done for him before.

With the chorus of birds chirping and the sunlight beaming through the leaves, it was a lot more welcoming than it had been at night. It was honestly rather peaceful.

While the forest still made him uneasy, as if he could physically feel the presence of the entity, the clearing around Jake's trailer was like a pocket of calm in the midst of it. Dwight supposed part of it was the connection to Jake making it give a soothing vibe.

"He cleaned..." Dwight commented softly as they made their way towards the trailer. It certainly wasn't pristine or anything, but it was a huge improvement from the state it was in previously.

 

"You mean it was worse than THIS!?" Meg was quick to say with extra snark, but Dwight could tell it was teasing.

 

"Hey, be nice. It's more than a one-day job, and it was left at the mercy of the weather since we all were gone..." Dwight sighed. It definitely looked nicer, but he supposed the vines sprawled up and over the side didn't help make a good impression for the girls.

Meg only nudged him in the ribs for being so quick to jump to Jake's defense, a wide grin on her face. Claudette rolled her eyes, as they walked up to the trailer, "It's certainly more than what I imagined."

 

Dwight was pretty sure Claudette thought Jake lived in a box.

 

He knocked on the door, trying to be polite, before resorting to grabbing the keys hanging on the generator when there wasn't a response. Meg was more than impressed by him taking initiative. As he was unlocking the door, he was pretty sure he heard metal clattering behind the trailer.

They all stopped to look over when they heard another thump, and boots scraping past fallen leaves to see Jake appear from out behind the trailer, slowly wiping his hands with a damp towel. He looked a bit bewildered, like a deer in the headlights. Dwight smiled at him, offering a small wave as the girls ran up to him. They were quick to fuss, but it was obvious they were relieved to see him.

 

"Jake!!" Nea ran over with the other two tailing after her, beaming brightly. That was, till she saw his hands.

 

"Woah man, what's with the blood?" Meg blurted, and Dwight all but locked onto staring at the fresh red stains on the towel.

 

"Are- are you hurt?" Claudette stepped closer, easily worried. Jake sighed heavily with only a short 'no' in response.

 

Dwight was awfully concerned by the amount of blood on the towel, and what looked like remains on Jake's hands. He knew it was wrong to draw connections...

He pushed open the door, deciding to wait inside. The moment he was out of sight, Meg started to giggle, diving straight into another topic. They hardly were giving Jake much of a chance to respond, and he didn't seem eager to stop them. "But lookit yooou! All _clean_  for once! Gee, you even shaved!"

Claudette sighed heavily, adjusting her glasses as Meg kept going, "Sooo? You and Fairfield, huh? How cute. Ya know he REALLY wants to—OOF!"

Claudette landed a punch to Meg's side before she could finish while Nea laughed. It took Meg a moment to regain her breath, but it hardly had stopped her from continuing on, "I was _gonna_  say... date you?" She seemed to be asking Claudette if that was right this time. When she nodded in confirmation, Meg snickered, "So, you gonna show him how to really rough it?"

 

She immediately received another punch.

 

"YA KNOW WHAT, I'M GONNA MAKE A NO-HITTING RULE!" Meg snapped back, a bit slower to recover this time.

 

Claudette rolled her eyes, "You're disgusting, Meg." She scolded, her small glare softening as he turned back to Jake, "But you treat Dwight well, okay? We may all be family, but he's... fragile."

 

"Like a freakin' glass feather." Meg scoffed the moment Claudette had finished. Nea rolled her eyes, but had a small smile.

 

Jake increasingly had looked more and more tired the longer the girls had rambled on without him. The dark circles under his eyes were more than apparent. "I'm well aware." He grumbled, not bothering to make it clear on which topic he was referring to. He stepped past Meg and Nea to head inside, "Did you guys come all the way out here just to yell at me, or what?"

 

They hurriedly followed Jake into the trailer. "No! That's just what's important right now." Meg said, taking a seat at the dining table with Claudette as Nea took the opposite side. Jake made a beeline for the kitchen sink to wash his hands and the towel, though he did pause to smile a little at Dwight, who could only hold a wobbly one back.

 

"We mostly came to see if you're ok. Eating. Staying clean and healthy." Claudette added looking around as Meg snickered, doing the same. Dwight caught Jake rolling his eyes a little as he turned the faucet on with his elbow.

"Dwight said something about your fridge being empty. You doing okay out here by yourself?" Claudette continued, glancing to the fridge, then to Dwight, and back to Jake.

Jake only shrugged, lifting his hands to shake them lightly to motion at them, still stained with blood. He returned to the sink without explaining whatever he'd meant by it.

 

Dwight sat on the couch, fiddling with his tie. _Nothing like being a part of the conversation._  He was trying really hard to get his mind off the blood.

 

The girls didn't seem content with the vague, wordless answer. "Jake..." Claudette prompted with a sigh.

 

"I keep most things in the freezer."

 

It was clear he didn't care to go into the topic, at least not currently. Claudette could grill him about it later, and they all knew she would, but for the moment Meg opted to change the subject, "Quite the pretty penny he's been hiding from us. Lucky you man."

It was rather true, however. It certainly was large enough for all five of them, with room to spare in between. It easily fit the status of being a mobile home. Maybe... not so much mobile anymore, though.

"Hey, maybe sometime we could all come to our apartment." She added, leaning on the table as she watched Jake, who seemed like he was trying to hide away in the kitchen alcove.

 

Claudette rolled her eyes, "I'm pretty sure our apartments' smaller than this trailer. Dwight fits, but not all of us. It'd be squished." It... might have been an exaggeration.

 

Nea interrupted by quickly hopping up out of the booth the moment Jake turned around from the sink once his hands were clean.

"C'mere you." She motioned for him to come closer, but he stuck behind the counter at first. "I know Meg makes it seem like we don't, but we missed you a lot man!" She was on that fine line between asking nicely and demanding it firmly. She reached over to grab his sleeve and tug on it to urge him to move when he had stayed put despite her motioning.

 

Jake huffed, but didn't really fight further, shuffling out from behind the counter, "What do you—" His sentence was cut off as the air was all but squeezed out of him in from the tight hug Nea dragged him into.

 

As if on queue, Meg and Claudette got up to join, throwing their arms around him to further trap him into the reunion-hug.

"You too Dwight!" Nea cheerfully insisted, waving him over. He fidgeted on the couch for a moment, looking up from messing with his tie. He tried to stop his lip from wobbling as all eyes were on him. With a heavy sigh, he pushed himself up off the couch to join in.

It was nice. Nice to be able to share a hug like this with everyone. He could tell Jake didn't mind it in the way he relaxed down and just let it happen, even if he acted disgruntled about it.

 

"I'm glad you're ok, Jake." Claudette was the first to mumble in the hug, which seemed to prompt the others to add in their own comments.

 

Nea laughed, winking at Jake to make it clear she was teasing, "We missed our grungy forest hobo."

 

"Yeah, the team's not complete without ya." Meg accentuated with squeezing them all tighter.

 

Jake wheezed quietly, fidgeting in the hug a little. "Well, you're not gonna _have_  your grungy forest hobo if you don't stop _crushing_ me." He huffed, but the small smile on his face didn't go unnoticed.

 

"AYYYE there it is!!!" Nea grinned, poking his cheek, as they all let go of him so he could breathe properly.

 

Jake rolled his eyes, but the smile remained. Everyone returned to their seats as he moved back behind the counter to put some things away.

 

"We can all get dinner sometime though. Together. That'd be fine." Meg offered, picking the previous conversation back up.

"Yeah, that'd be fun!" Claudette smiled, the way she said it made it sound like she took the offer as a confirmation that it would happen despite the lack of anyone else commenting on it.

"But... I'm sure you've got your hands full, babysitting the nerd." Meg giggled. Dwight merely glared softly in response, to which she did the same back.

 

"He doesn't need babysitting." Jake sighed, rubbing at the bridge of his nose.

Dwight's eyes lit up. Was Jake really sticking up for him? For a moment his mind was completely off the blood.

 

Meg faked a sort of disgusted face, before cracking into laughter, "Oh, whatever you say, _lovebird_."

 

Claudette shook her head, nudging Meg lightly. "So Jake, tell us about this place, how'd you get it, where's your parents, ya know stuff we can get to know you better."

Dwight was too struck by being worthy of defense to add anything, though he was definitely just as curious as the girls were. They still hardly knew anything about their fluffy-haired friend.

Jake leaned on the counter, ruffling his hair, remaining silent for a moment. "Uh, I bought it?" His tone had an unspoken 'duh' after it. "And they're far away. Probably forgot about me, or whatever." He said a bit flatly and shrugged, staring down at the pattern of the counter.

 

Meg squinted at him, before all but jumping from her seat to point a finger into Jake's chest, jabbing him. "Are you LYING!?" She demanded with her 'glare of truth'.

Where others probably would have faltered and cracked under 'the Meg glare', Jake hardly blinked. Either not even affected, or he was just good at keeping up a flat stare. Maybe it was all the practice he'd gained from her picking on him so much before.

 

"That's it I'm getting an uber to drive us home." Claudette groaned, pulling out her phone, "You'll have to excuse her she hasn't been neutered so she's a little snippy."

Meg immediately stopped her stare to turn to her, "Did you... really just make that joke?" Meg quickly began laughing, snorting a little, "CAUSE IT WAS GOOD!"

 

Jake's stoic, blank stare broke into a wobbly smile at the two of them. He tried to hide behind his hand, but Dwight caught it all. Jake was quick to catch him staring as he glanced at him behind his hand, rolling his eyes, amused.

The silent interaction made Dwight's heart thump in his chest.

 

He smiled back lightly, latching onto the distraction of jumping into the conversation to avoid being caught staring back at Jake by the girls. "No-..no it's okay! I can drive you guys back, it's fine."

 

"Thank you, but I don't think I trust her being in your car anymore. It was bad enough she'd make you swerve every time she'd yell." Claudette shrugged, "It's just safer this way."

 

"You sure you have service all the way out here?" Jake straightened back up from hiding behind his hand to ask, "Unless you have—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Claudette pulled a small, portable, wireless box from her back, interrupting with, "Welcome to the 21st century, lumberjack." She smirked.

 

Meg, still laughing from Claudette's joke, managed to cut in to add, "YEAH GET SCHOOLED!"

 

* * *

 

The girls stayed for a while longer, but Jake seemed to have either shut down or was more content to just listen, as he had fallen into silence. It wasn't like he could say much anyways, as it wasn't much different than before; Meg talking about everyone like they weren't in the room, and Claudette acting as a referee.

 

Dwight let out a heavy sigh once the girls had left to catch their ride. "So, happy to see them again right?" He chuckled, still a little weirded out by the blood, and even more so now that they were alone. He couldn't stop thinking about it! "Claudette's certainly got her hands full."

 

Jake buried his face in his hands, rubbing at his eyes. He gave a slightly muffled groan from behind his hands as his response at first, before leaving the counter to flop on the couch next to Dwight. "Well, it's nice to know they're doing okay, but jesus, fuck— _she's_  the one who needs to do some babysitting." He smiled a little, leaning his head back and sunk down into the couch.

 

"Y-yeah." Dwight pushed his fingers together nervously, laughing softly, a little more preoccupied with his thoughts. His mouth was starting to feel dry, but he felt he had to ask, "Uhm... so you hunt animals out here, right? And eat them?"

Jake sat up a bit, glancing over at him. Part of Dwight screamed _WHY_ , and _NO YOU DON'T_  for having asked, but he wanted to have an honest relationship with Jake more than anything. "S-so that blood wasn't like... people blood, right?" He tried to seem nonchalant, but it was obvious there was a problem and concern over it.

 

The smile Jake gave was clearly an attempt to reassure him, "I'm sorry you guys saw that. I know it's gross." He paused to sigh lightly, "It's not human blood, really." He added, as if he felt the need to flatly assure Dwight of that first. "But... uh, yeah. I hunt animals. It's the main food source out here. Other than wild fruit... but nothing's quite ripe yet."

 

Dwight smiled a bit. Jake sure was more talkative when it was just them. He kind of liked it that way. "I trust you... I'm sorry, I just... ya know all that stuff back then, and the Trapper and all..." He stared at the floor feeling terrible for making the connection in the first place. "I just need to get my mind off of it, I guess. I've never been too good with blood." He chuckled.

 

Jake nodded a little, "...I know. I'm sorry." He looked away to lean over and brace himself on his knees. The way he had turned away made Dwight worry if mentioning the Trapper around him was a bad idea. He knew Jake had a deep running sort of trauma over what the Trapper had done to him.

Jake was quiet for a moment, probably trying to not think too hard about it. "I didn't think you guys would come over that early, or uh, I would've tried to be done sooner and clean up beforehand."

 

"Wellll if someone invested in their own phooone..." Dwight teased with a light nudge, scooting a little closer to him, "We could've warned you." He grabbed Jake's closest hand and held it gently in his own, even if it made Jake freeze up. If Jake ever told him to stop or go slower with everything, he would, but so far he hadn't complained or tried to pull away. Dwight figured he was just slow to get used to the idea.

 

Jake looked up with a sheepish smile, "I knooow, but I can't. I spent everything I had to buy this stupid trailer and the shit for it."

 

Dwight ran his fingers over the palm of Jake's hand, lingering over the rougher spots where his skin was calloused. "I'm kind of with Meg on the whole... not believing that part, but... if you're happy and healthy, then I'm happy too." He sighed, lacing his fingers with Jake's, "I'll think you're amazing no matter what..." He smiled, before shifting to lean against him.

 

Jake just sort of huffed, but recovered to tease, "You're not gonna start staring me down to try and make me talk like she does, are you?"

 

"Nooo..." Dwight grinned, squeezing Jake's hand a little. "I might try and make you do other stuff, but nah, I won't stare you down and force you." He chuckled, perfectly happy sitting here pressed up against Jake. Dwight snickered, "If I did, would that make you Claudette? You'd certainly have your hands full."

 

Jake groaned and hid behind his other hand. He snickered with Dwight softly, "Jeez, yeah." He sunk further into the couch, and though it was still very hesitant, he lightly leaned back on Dwight a little.

 

Dwight loved how cozy Jake's trailer was. It was just big enough not to be cramped even with everyone else, but still somehow small enough to force the two of them together. "I'm sorry if you didn't want me telling them. Meg almost broke my arm to get details." He gave a long sigh and shook his head.

 

Jake huffed out a small laugh, "It's fine, I knew they'd pry it out of you. They can pry info out from just about anything."

 

"Makes ya wonder what in the hell happened to her when she grew up." Dwight chuckled softly, "I certainly didn't go through hostage negotiations and learn how to stare people down. Maybe her dad was a cop."

 

"I've always figured it was just... all that energy she never seems to run out of."

 

Dwight hummed, and nuzzled into Jake's shoulder some more. He wanted to stay right here forever. Jake could protect him from everything. "I wish I could have some of that energy." Dwight smiled; it certainly would help him get through the day without feeling so exhausted. Which reminded him he'd need to find a job sometime soon. He didn't want to think about that, though; Not when he was so content here. "Or at least more of a backbone... hah."

 

"Says the guy who kept a whole team of people together under the pressure of being hunted by crazy murderers." Jake pointed out with a light nudge with his shoulder, smirking.

 

Dwight gave a wobbly smile, his cheeks flaring up. Jake complimenting him like this would be the death of him one of these days. "Barely." He mumbled, gushing Jake full of compliments.

Not wanting to impose more than he had already, Dwight awkwardly took his leave after effectively shutting Jake up with sunshine. Jake walked him all the way back to the road and waved goodbye as he drove off.

 

Their little rag-tag family was back together; that missing link and lost feeling he'd felt before was fully gone. These days were just getting better and better.


	7. Premonitions

The morning was quiet. The air, stiff.

 

Jake shot up in bed, shaking, blinking into the heavy dark. He clung to the warmth of the blankets, messing with the fabric with an unsteady breath. As if it would keep any harsh, degrading whispers at bay. He blinked hard, slowly adjusting to the dark, till the blue light of the clock caught the corner of his eye.

He was awake. Home. There was no orange light or sharp claws, no voices digging into his head. This wasn't the darkness after a sacrifice. His leg was numb; probably part of the reason for what had translated to traps snapping shut around it in that nightmare. Jake reached up to the mess that was his hair to ruffle it into something decent. But as his fingers brushed against his face, he hesitated, feeling something wet.

 

_Tears._

Though he wasn't exactly crying beyond the small sniffles and tears rolling down his face; remnants of what was shed in his dream. Jake pulled his sleeve up to dry his eyes, sighing heavily as he swung his legs over to sit up and check the time. The bright LED lights were blinding, in contrast to the dark of his room.

  
4:37 a.m.

  
Jake groaned, burying his face in his hands. He was amazed he had even slept for longer than an hour this time. But what were a few more hours when they were only filled with vivid nightmares? He didn't feel like he'd slept at all, and yet entirely wide awake from the horror he'd awoken from. Jake rubbed at his eyes. He knew he wouldn't be able to fall back asleep. Not after those particularly gruesome nightmares.

He wasn't expecting for this routine of running on minimal sleep to go away for some time.

 

  
Once the pins and needles of his leg waking back up settled down, Jake got up and quietly wandered out of his room to the rest of the trailer. He found himself aimlessly walking back and forth, picking his way through the gloom, checking every little thing again. Every appliance, every cabinet, every bit of furniture and possession he owned. It was quickly becoming an awful habit. He couldn't help it; he kept expecting something to be wrong, for something to be out of place.

He'd worked so hard to fight his way towards finding an escape for everyone, but it still didn't feel completely real. Like it should've been more difficult than it was, even if it had been immeasurably hard just to gather enough to move forward. Diving deeper and deeper into the bloodweb, chasing after incomplete information dangled just out of his reach till he actively heard the whispers outside of it. Jake couldn't trust that anything he'd learned had been true. Why would the entity even bother allowing them any real clues towards progress? He understood it's need for them to have hope, but couldn't it have just as easily led them around in circles with false information? With misled hope?

 

Yet here they were. The others, hours away in the city—safe—while he was still here in the woods. Jake supposed his distrust of reality was understandable, considering everything they all had gone through. He kept expecting this to be an elaborate illusion the entity fabricated to make him _think_  he'd succeeded, and at some point, it would unravel into fresh new horrors. It was more that he was determined to not be fooled by it again in case it wasn't real, if nothing else.

 

But every unusual noise still made him tense. Every trip deeper into the forest had him acting as nervous and wary as the deer he hunted. He couldn't bring himself to start the generator, even if that meant he only had enough power to keep the bare minimum running. He could hardly even bring himself to relax enough to sleep as it was, constantly expecting to open his eyes to the twisted entanglement of red, to feel his pulse forcibly being matched to the sickly beat of the bloodweb. He readily welcomed the nightmares in comparison to that horror. At least he could wake up, home, from those. Exhaustion was probably the only thing that really let him rest, if only for a moment.

 

Jake stopped in his pacing just before the threshold where the living room and kitchen met, bracing the palm of his hand against the cool countertop. He stared at his socks, pressed into the rug, listening. There was no singing birds, no howling wind, no thundering rain.  
_No bells._  The clock behind the couch ticked softly, trying to create a pattern in the silence.

 

 

####  Tick... Tock...  Tick... Tock...

 

_Trying to match his heartbeat._

####  Tick... Tock...

 

 

Jake took a quiet, deep breath. He was focusing too much, finding awkward patterns in things where there wasn't. Paying too much attention to his own heartbeat that it felt heavy and uneven, making him rock slightly with each breath. Jake was slowly coming to the realization that the safest he'd felt since they'd all escaped, hadn't been when he made his way to the more familiar part of the woods, or when he returned to the trailer as if nothing had ever happened.

No, the safest he had felt since so far, was when he was in the city; huddled up in Dwight's apartment, hiding away from the weather by the warm fire. He wasn't even sure it was because it had been _Dwight's_  apartment specifically—if not simply for his presence—or if it was the distance it created between him and the forest. He would have thought being home would be far more comforting than anything. To have something familiar, a routine to do. Fending for himself, by himself. He'd lived alone out here for years. In complete solitude, would be a bit of a lie to say, but human interaction had been minimal.

  
It was lonely.

 

Jake always had tried to convince himself that he was better off this way. No one to judge him. No one to tell him what to do, how to do it, or when. No one but himself, other than the occasional visits from his mother. While it was nice that she bothered to go out of her way just to see him, nice to know she cared, it was a reminder of what he'd left behind. Of what he'd ran away from, and yet still couldn't escape fully. She always stayed so sweet, but he knew she didn't understand his choices. The intention behind her always saying he was welcome to come home was innocent, he knew that, but her reminder always sounded sour to him. Like a blatant guilt-trip. He consistently made it a point to assure her that he was fine out here; that he liked being alone.

 

_That this is what he wanted._

 

But Jake wasn't sure if that was the case anymore. If it _ever_  had been. He was beginning to feel it wouldn't be too far off the truth to say he'd become addicted to the others' company. Even if he didn't always join in, the background noise was soothing. The trailer had an oppressive, lonely air when they were gone. What used to be a calming, familiar forest, now felt hostile and ominous.

 

Jake trudged to the door after checking everything inside the trailer. Normally he'd head out to check the outside too, but something about the stiff morning sent paranoid chills up his arms. Or perhaps, it was just the cold air he could feel an inch away from the handle where his fingers shook.

 

 _It's just really early, calm down._  He scolded himself, moving his hand away from the cold air to hover over the light switch next to the door. His eyes flicked to the window; the lines of darkness between the blinds like an endless, waiting maw, but an undisturbed one in company with the gloom of his trailer.

Jake huffed, curling his fingers tightly, and pulled away, the inset paranoia winning the debate over whether to turn the lights on or not. It was silly, he knew that, but he couldn't help still feeling as though lights equaled attracting danger. The dark meant he could hide.

 

 

Brewing himself some tea was, at least, a nice distraction as he woke up further. The warmth from the stove was soothing, like a pocket of respite from the cold dark of the trailer. He held his hands above the warmth, training his eyes on the red glow of the burner till it left discolored spots in his vision. Once the pot quietly started to whistle, he squinted at the cabinets to find a cup.

With the water poured, the infuser in, and the stove turned off, Jake settled down at the table to stare out the window. His hands curling around the warm cup as he tried to find a distraction in squinting past the blinds to catch the vague morning light.

 

The longer he stared at the dark between the blinds, the more he kept expecting to see the orange glow of the Wraith uncloaking. Or maybe his eyes were just chasing the fading marks in his vision from staring at the stove? He tried to stop, to ignore it. The more his eyes unfocused, the more it reminded him of staring through closet blinds, of painfully held in breaths and fear-frozen muscles. A fifty-fifty chance of either being caught, or losing the trail.

 

_Make a sound, and you're done for._

 

This perpetual unease was strange, something Jake wasn't used to. That constant expectation for reality to unravel in front of him and twist into the nightmare. Normally, the only worries he had were for survival, which had become simple over the years. Planning for when he needed to go hunting, to remember to tend the garden, to put things away before storms hit. Things that were certainly obstacles, but never something that bothered him. That's just what they were; obstacles to be overcome.

And when he'd explored too far and found himself in unspeakable horrors, the worries of survival altered, but remained in similar ways. He could only explain the experience as having gone numb. The confusion, the panic, swallowed and bottled up to focus on the task at hand. The methodical repair of generators, causing distractions, breaking hooks and traps to buy time; every effort going into making sure the others got past those large metal gates. To make sure he kept digging for an escape for them, whether it was out from a match, or from that twisted realm. They had lives to live, futures to pursue, people who would miss them. It was always for their sake, for their safety. But now...

 

Now Jake had to worry about his _own_  safety once again out from the numbness of the ordeal. He wasn't as alone out here as he'd originally thought, and he didn't know what to do about it. If there actually _was_ anything he could do about it. He was faced with something he still knew so little about. It was why he'd been so harsh before they all had escaped. When they all waited, just at the edge of their freedom, the others in wheezy laughter as they shared contact info. And at Jake's silence, Nea had stopped him to ask what they should do about him. How would they keep in touch? They knew he didn't have a phone.

 

_'Don't you dare try to find me, I swear to god.'_

 

In fighting a knot in his throat, Jake's reply had been harsh and biting. He didn't know how to admit that he'd grown to like having them around. That he'd grown to like considering them as his _friends_ , and that he couldn't bring himself to properly say goodbye. So instead he'd given something closer to a threat, and left without another word.

He couldn't have them close to the forest with the entity still lurking out there. He couldn't have them close to _him_. All the work he had done to find an escape for them would be undone. For nothing. It was why Jake had been beside himself to find Dwight out in the woods that night, doing the exact thing he'd told him not to do.

But now that Dwight had gone out of his way to find him, Jake was finding he couldn't bring himself to push him—or the girls for that matter—away again. It was as if he'd tried so hard to go cold on the sudden addiction to their company, to run away and hide from it, and now that it was back he was neck-deep all over again and couldn't pull away.

 

 

Jake sighed hard, blinking himself away from the strips of darkness between the blinds, and away from his bitter thoughts. He turned to instead glare down at his drink, a tense frown having gone unnoticed till now.

_So much for distracting himself._

 

 

By the time Jake had finished his tea, that morning light he'd been trying to spot had climbed high enough to peek over the trees. It was still really early, but it was marginally better than the 4 a.m. gloom. He slid out from the booth lazily, setting his cup by the sink to clean later before he shuffled back to his room to change out of his pajamas. A soft smile cracked across his face, and he gave a small huff of a laugh as he stared down at his shirt. A black sweater with a green alien on it and 'BELIEVE' written below. Maybe he should start paying attention to what he wore again, now that the others could come to visit at any time?

Jake shook his head. It was almost refreshing to even worry about what the others thought about him, but he found it silly. _As if they cared._

 

With the paranoia still sitting too sickly in his chest to flick on the lights, Jake picked through the dark for something to wear. Ultimately he went with the first thing he found. Worn jeans and his blue plaid flannel, something which he wouldn't mind if they got a little dirty. Once dressed, he slipped on his boots, snagging his windbreaker on his way out.

The sky was the clearest it had been for days, and Jake really hoped it would remain that way. He needed all the good weather he could get to charge the trailer's batteries more. It was going to take a while till power wasn't much of a worry anymore. The trees that still had leaves left to shed already had begun scattering them about. It was almost pleasant, with the signature fall colors decorating the forest floor. Except that it reminded him how hard the coming winter was going to be.

He would've been fine if he hadn't gone for that walk and gotten 'lost'. A lot of his preparations were undone in his absence, and now he had to start over at what felt like the last minute. He'd always had a little garden behind the trailer, and a few indoor plants, but since he was gone and hadn't been able to take care of it, everything had withered. It was too late in the season to start over on it, and game would become more and more scarce the colder it got.

 

Jake sighed heavily, combing a hand through his messy hair. He looked over the trailer, following the vines that snaked up the side of it. It was a wild honeysuckle, and since he had never planned to move the trailer again, he'd let the climbing vine stay. Besides, the birds liked it. He knew the girls thought he was only cleaning because they or Dwight might see it when visiting, but he always had been decent at keeping the trailer clean. Both inside and outside, but again, that progress was ruined with his absence.

If the plant had been in bloom, maybe they would have received the state of his trailer better. He wondered if maybe Claudette would have even asked him about it. Maybe they'd tease him for leaving it solely for the birds.

Jake made his way around the generator and behind the trailer. It was darker in the shadow of it, but all he needed was to make out the shape of the freezer. Since he had been interrupted with the mini-reunion, he still needed to finish cutting up was he had caught the other day. It was frozen now though, but if he let it sit out while he cleaned more of the trailer—which would take a good while—it would be thawed enough to cut when he was done. He retraced his steps through the dark with the wrapped-up meat and headed back inside to put it on the counter on a plate.

  
Once he was back outside into the chilly air, Jake collected what he needed to get started; A bucket of water, the ladder, towels, soap, and a sponge. The steps to cleaning away the dirt and grime easily became therapeutic, in a way. Anything to distract was solace from everything else. He tried to focus on his work rather than let his mind wander this time.

 

Scrub away the dirt, avoid the vines, rinse, move the ladder...

 

 

As the side of the trailer slowly lightened, so did the forest around him. Jake sighed heavily, looking over his progress in the clearer sunlight. It was finally back to how it used to be. Or at least, _that_  side of it was. It was certainly going to take a while till the entire trailer was back to being clean like before. With tired arms and a small smile, he returned everything to its place. That was one thing on his to-do list accomplished. Having visible progress certainly was encouraging.

Jake pulled off his windbreaker once he was back inside. The long task of cleaning the trailer sure had warmed him up fast. And so had the time it took to do so for the catch from the other day to thaw out. He carefully picked it up to bring it back outside. Thawed out enough to cut, yes, but still awfully cold to touch.

 

  
He paused, looking over the setup behind the trailer now in the light. The remnants of his garden, and the bucket of tools for its care. The humming freezer. The cabinet next to the bloodstained table.

After years of use—no matter how well he always cleaned it—some of the stains just simply wouldn't come out. Jake rolled up his sleeves, folding them so they would stay in place and out of his way. He gathered around the tools he needed, his eyes unfocused, almost falling into a mindless pattern as he set the cold meat down on the butcher table. He stared blankly as he set to work.

 

_Thunk._

 

The thin layer of ice over the meat crunched under the blade. Jake watched the way it shattered, trying to keep his focus on it. For a moment it was as if he tried so hard to think of something else, that his mind ended up empty.

 

_Thunk._

 

Jake blinked, now following the lines of red seeping into the ice as the warmth from his hands thawed it further. His eyes flicked to watch it stain his skin each time he lifted away to start a new cut.

He could remember the look on Dwight's face; the way his brow furrowed and his lip had wobbled in struggling to hold back the nausea in his stare. How the girls let the subject go so fast to jump on the chance to tease him, when Dwight lingered on it through the whole visit. How he seemed so nervous around him, as if he really took Jake for someone who would harm another person. How he compared him to...

 

 

**_Thunk._ **

Jake's jaw starting to hurt was the only thing to make him aware of the harsh frown that had snuck its way to his face. His fingers were going numb. He was only a quarter of the way through slicing the previous day's catch into more manageable chunks. He kept missing where the butcher's knife was just supposed...

 

  
To line...

 

  
Up.

 

  
Jake slowly set the knife down when he realized his hand was shaking too much to steadily align the blade anymore. He'd risk losing a finger if he kept working like this. It was as if his eyes wouldn't stop narrowing in on the flow of red. On the deep, fresh stains on his hands. He thought he saw torn, ash-cracked skin reaching for him, but it fled with a few rapid blinks.

Jake turned on his heel to inspect the surrounding forest, watching the movement of leaves falling through the branches for something more. _For something watching him back._  He listened for anything beyond the chirps of birds, but the trees remained as quiet as ever. The scrape of his boots on the dirt felt like it would wake the whole forest, seeming unnaturally loud in contrast.

 

He couldn't decide if it was a good quiet or not. It felt as if everything had stopped, frozen up like his nerves.

 

Why was this bothering him now? He'd never had a problem with this before. Hunting and preparing what he caught was just something he had to do to stay alive. He was used to it. He was used to blood and gore. It hadn't even bothered him as much back then, so why did it bother him now?

With a low, drawn out sigh, Jake wrapped the meat back up and returned it to the freezer. He couldn't do this; he couldn't work on this right now. Once the tools were put away, he gingerly picked his way back into the trailer to wash his hands. What he needed was to clear his mind. He stared at the water as it ran over his hands, washing away the blood. He felt numb as he watched it appear to spread, tinting everything. The water, the bubbles of soap. A deepening red filling the sink. Filling... filling...

 

...filling?

 

Jake blinked rapidly once again. He glared at his hands till both the blood and soap were gone, and water running clear. With another sigh at himself, he turned off the faucet and dried his hands. This... this wasn't right. Shakily, he combed his hands into his hair, pulling at it absently. He wasn't sure if it was from handling the frozen meat or the cold sink water, but he felt like the air was biting at him.

He needed to stop dwelling on everything. He needed to stop thinking. Jake rolled his sleeves back down and headed for the door, grabbing his windbreaker again on his way out.

 

 

What he needed, was to go for a walk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sort of a little bonus chapter where we get to see how Jake's doing! Since... I messed up and lost what progress I had on what will now be chapter 8 ;w; Sorry for the long wait...


End file.
